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MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 


MORNING  EXERCISES 


FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 


H  Ba\i  3600k  tor  Hcacbcre 


BY 

JOSEPH    C.   SINDELAR 

Author  of  NixiK  HuNNY  IN  Mannebs-Land 

Nixie  Binny   in   \Vokkai»ay-Land 

The  Best  Cubistmas  Book 


BECKLEY-CARDY  COMPANY 

CHICAGO 


COPTBIGHT,    1914,   BY 

Joseph  C.  Sixdelab 

A  T.I-  EIGHTS  BESEETED 


LB 
3015" 


PREFACE 

This  book  aims  at  a  systematic  and  orderly  presenta- 
tion of  the  morning  or  opening  exercise  in  the  elementary 
school.  Material  is  provided  for  every  day  of  the  school 
year,  beginning  with  the  first  day  in  September  and  end- 
ing with  the  last  day  in  June.  There  are  as  many  exercises 
as  there  are  days  in  the  month,  thus  leaving  the  teacher 
free  to  a  choice  of  lesson  each  day.  If  she  feels  that  the 
psychological  moment  has  arrived  to  consider  a  certain 
topic  with  her  school  she  need  not  necessarily  follow  the 
subject  outlined  for  that  particular  day. 

It  is  the  author's  belief  that  the  time  has  come  for  a 
more  earnest  consideration  of  moral  training  and  that  the 
teaching  of  morals  can  usually  be  accomplished  more 
effectively  through  an  indirect  method  than  by  set  lessons 
or  formal  teaching.  Character  is  largely  a  matter  of  habit 
and  too  great  emphasis  cannot  be  placed  upon  the  early 
training  in  right  attitude  and  right  conduct.  The  choice 
of  subjects  should  be  more  or  less  incidental.  "When  cer- 
tain events  occur  in  the  life  of  the  nation  or  society  which 
have  ethical  value,  or  when  the  birthdays  of  famous  poets 
or  statesmen  or  those  of  national  heroes  revive  the  memory 
of  their  virtues,  the  topic  of  the  lesson  is  naturally  de- 
termined thereby.  Through  concrete  examples  presented 
in  story  and  verse  the  children  learn  to  appreciate  and  ad- 
mire nobility  of  character  and  deed  and  their  best  aspira- 
tions are  thus  aroused.  But  it  is  better  to  allow  the  child 
to  make  his  own  inference  than  to  force  the  moral  upon 
him. 

The  arrangement  of  this  book,  it  is  believed,  will  be  found 
convenient  and  the  plan  novel.  It  is  truly  a  day  book  for 
the  teacher,  correlating  as  it  does,  memory  work,  narrative, 


G  PREFACE 

songs  and  music,  birthday  and  holiday  commemorations  and 
those  of  the  seasons,  together  with  nature,  literature,  science 
and  art. 

Five  lines  of  thought  have  been  kept  constantly  in  mind. 
First :  The  teaching  of  the  common  virtues  through  mem- 
ory  selections  culled  from  the  best  in  literature.  There 
eau  be  nothing  better  than  the  learning  of  these  golden 
gems.  Second:  Through  the  story  which  is  related  to  the 
quotation  and  the  daily  topic.  Third :  Through  biography, 
using  famous  characters  of  history  and  literature  to  arouse 
ideals,  to  kindle  ambition,  and  to  nourish  a  belief  in  one's 
pov.er  to  do  something  and  to  cultivate  a  sense  of  worth 
and  a  feeling  of  self-respect.  Fourth :  Through  the  song, 
which  conforms  daily  to  the  thought  of  the  lesson.  Fifth : 
Through  the  references  which  allow  an  enlarging  upon  the 
subject  in  hand.  These  consist  of  songs,  additional  stories 
and  poems,  Bible  readings,  birthdaj-s  and  special  days.  It 
is  v>'ell  to  speak  of  the  birthday  of  an  author  or  other  noted 
person  on  the  day  before  its  occurrence  and  ask  the  pupils 
to  be  able  to  tell  something  of  interest  in  regard  to  the 
person  the  next  morning.  In  the  case  of  an  author  pupils 
should  be  asked  to  bring  in  to  be  read  or  recited  one  or  more 
selections  from  his  works.  In  that  of  an  artist,  show  repro- 
ductions of  some  of  his  paintings.  In  that  of  a  musician 
have  one  or  more  of  his  compositions  played  or  sung. 

J.  C.  S. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Preface       ........  5 

September        ........      9 

October       ........         31 

November         ........    59 

December    ........         81 

January  ........  103 

•February     ........       127 

March 151 

April 173 

May .         .195 

June 217 

Index      .........  239 

List  of  Reference  Books     .....       252 


MORNING    EXERCISES    FOR 
ALL  THE  YEAR 

SEPTEMBER 

1    LABOR  DAY 

[Labor  Day  is  the  first  Monday  in  September  and  is 
a  legal  holiday  in  nearly  every  state  of  the  Union.] 

Work   for   some   good,   be   it   ever   so   slowly; 
Cherish  some  flower,  be  it  ever  so  lowly; 
Labor,  all  labor  is  noble  and  holy. 

— Mrs.  F,  8.  Osgood 

LABOR  DAY:    ITS  ORIGIN  AND  OBSERVANCE 

Labor  Day  owes  its  origin  to  several  causes.  Perhaps 
the  earliest  of  these  was  the  formation  of  labor  societies, 
such  as  the  Knights  of  Labor,  which  was  founded  in  Phila- 
delphia in  1869.  At  one  of  the  meetings  of  this  society 
in  New  York  City  in  1882,  a  suggestion  was  offered  that  one 
day  of  the  year  be  set  aside  when  laborers  or  workingmen 
should  not  labor,  but  might  go  out  and  show  that  labor  in 
this  country  is  free  and  dignified.  Later,  some  of  the  states 
passed  laws  making  Labor  Day  a  holiday,  because  the  legis- 
lators wished  to  show  their  sympathy  with  the  working 
class,  many  of  whom  could  not  aiford  to  miss  a  day's  pay 
by  taking  a  vacation,  and  so  a  day  was  set  apart  when  they 
could  legally  enjoy  themselves  and  not  lose  their  wages. 
In  other  states  it  was  adopted  for  political  reasons,  the 
leaders  hoping  thus  to  secure  the  good  will  and  the  votes 
of  the  workingmen  for  whom  they  obtained  the  holiday. 


10  ilORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

The  idea  has  been  growing  in  favor  since  the  first  Labor 
Day,  in  1888,  when  Colorado,  Massachusetts,  New  Jersey 
and  New  York  observed  the  day  as  a  legal  holiday.  In 
1894  Congress  passed  an  act  making  the  first  Monday  in 
September  a  legal  public  holiday,  or  "national  holiday." 
This  law  is  a  recognition  by  the  national  government  of 
the  importance  and  significance  of  the  new  holiday,  which 
had  already  been  made  a  legal  holiday  in  twenty-seven 
states  and  one  territory. 

Read:  "Labor  is  Worship,"  by  Frances  S.  Osgood; 
"The  Man  with  the  Hoe,"  by  Edwin  Markham;  "Bur- 
den of  Labor"  and  "The  Village  Blacksmith,"  by  Henry 
W.  Longfellow ;  "  The  Song  of  the  Shirt, ' '  by  Thomas  Hood ; 
Bible,  Matt.  25 :  14-30. 

Sing:     "Labor  Day,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthday:  Mrs.  Lydia  H.  Sigourney,  an  American 
author,  born  in  Nor^vich,  Conn.,  September  1,  1791 ;  died  in 
Hartfoid,  Conn.,  June  10,  1865. 

2    THE  CHILDREN'S  POET 

I  look  in  the  brook  and  see  a  face, 

Heigh-ho,  but  the  years  go  by! 
The  rushes  are  dead  in  the  old-time  place, 

And  the  willows  I  knew  when  a  child  was  L 
And  the  brook  it  scemeth  to  me  to  say, 
As  ever  it  stealeth  on  its  way, 
Solemnly  now  and  not  in  play: 
"Oh,  come  with  me 
To  the  slumberous  sea 
That  is  gray  with  the  peace  of  the  evening  sky!" 
Heigh-ho,  but  the  years  go  by, 
I  would  to  God  that  a  child  were  I! 

— Eugene  Field 

THE  STORY  OF  EUGENE  FIELD 

To-day  is  the  birthday  of  one  of  the  best  friends  that 
children  ever  had.  Eugene  Field  was  a  little  "Western  boy 
who  lived  with  his  aunt,  his  mother  having  died  when  he 


SEPTE-MBER  H 

was  but  seven  years  old.  His  father  did  not  live  with  him, 
but  they  corresponded  regularly,  so  that  Eugene  learned 
earlj''  to  express  his  thoughts  in  writing.  He  was  of  a 
rollicking,  jo3^ous  disposition,  and  so  made  many  friends 
at  school.  Later  he  went  to  college  and  studied  law  as  his 
father  had  done.  But  law  did  not  appeal  to  his  poetic  tem- 
perament and  he  soon  gave  that  up  so  that  he  might  devote 
all  his  time  to  writing. 

He  loved  little  children  and  would  lay  aside  his  work  at 
any  time  to  play  with  them,  tell  them  stories,  or  sing  them 
beautiful  lullabies.  He  used  to  buy  all  sorts  of  cjueer  toys, 
playthings,  and  sugar  plums  for  his  own  little  children  and 
for  little  strangers  with  whom  he  always  made  friends. 
He  knew  that  these  are  the  things  that  children  love  best 
and  we  find  his  verses  full  of  them.  Mr.  Field  also  loved 
flowers,  beautiful  pictures  and  animals.  He  always  had 
pets  about  him  and  these  he  cared  for  himself  with  the 
greatest  tenderness.  He  was  devoted  to  his  wife  and  home, 
and  could  never  bear  to  be  away  from  them  for  very  long 
at  a  time.  He  had  the  most  precious  memory  of  his 
mother,  and  it  often  made  him  feel  sad  to  think  that  she 
had  so  early  in  life  been  taken  away  from  him.  "I  have 
a  thousandfold  more  than  my  deserts,"  he  would  say,  "yet, 
if  my  mother  had  but  lived  to  feel  a  little,  just  a  little, 
proud  of  her  boy. ' ' 

Read:  "Wynken,  Blynken,  and  Nod,"  the  most  perfect 
child  poem  ever  written ;  ' '  Little  Boy  Blue, "  "  The  Sugar- 
Plum  Tree,"  "The  Duel,"  "Sleepy  Song."  Chutter's 
Art -Literature  Third  Reader  contains  many  stories  and 
poems  in  the  section  devoted  to  Eugene  Field. 

Sing:  Any  of  Field's  beautiful  lyrics  set  to  music  as 
found  in  Songs  of  Childhood. 

Birthday:  Eugene  Field,  "the  children's  poet,"  born  in 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  September  2,  1850;  died  in  Chicago,  111., 
November  4,  1895. 


12  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

3    WORK 

Let  Labor,  then  look  up  and  see 

His  craft  no  pith  of  honor  lacks; 
The  soldier's  rifle  yet  shall  be 

Less  honored  than  the  woodman's  axe. 

KINGS  OF  THE  PAST  AND  PEESENT 

The  kings  of  the  past  have  sat  on  thrones  and  made  others 
serve  them.  The  kings  of  the  future  will  be  those  who  do 
the  world's  work  and  serve  others  best.  We  honor  the 
man  who  works  with  his  hands  and  conquers  the  earth. 
His  hands  may  be  coarse,  his  body  bent,  but  if  his  work 
is  honest,  he  is  king  as  much  as  any  man.  We  also  honor 
the  man  who  works  with  his  brain.  He  who  works  hon- 
estly and  well  with  his  hands,  blesses  the  world;  he  who 
works  honestly  and  well  with  his  brain,  and  gives  to  the 
world  a  good  book,  a  noble  picture,  an  inspiring  song,  labors 
to  leave  a  blessing  in  the  mind  of  another  that  will  live 
when  the  things  built  with  the  hand  alone  have  fallen  to 
pieces. 

Read:  "The  Sailor  Man,"  from  The  Pig  Brother,  by 
Laura  E.  Richards;  "For  a'  That,"  by  Robert  Burns; 
"Workingman's  Song,"  by  Charles  Mackay;  Bible,  Prov. 
6:6-11. 

Sing:  "Work,  for  the  Night  is  Coming,"  from  Uncle 
Sam's  Sclwol  Songs. 

4  PERSEVERANCE 

There  are  as  many  pleasant  things, 

As  many  pleasant  tones, 
For   those   who   dwell   by   cottage   hearths 

As  those  who  sit  on  thrones. 

— Phoebe   Cary 

THE  STORY  OF  PHCEBE  CARY 

Phcebe  Cary  was  born  in  a  low  and  small  brown  house, 
which   stood   on    an    old-fashioned   country    homestead   or 


SEPTEMBER  I3 

farm.  Her  mother  died  when  Phoebe  was  a  little  girl,  and 
as  her  father  was  poor,  neither  she  nor  her  sister  Alice 
could  attend  school  very  much.  But  they  studied  and  read 
a  great  deal  at  home.  As  they  had  no  lamps  in  the  houses 
then,  and  her  father  couldn't  afford  candles,  the  two  girls 
made  a  lamp  by  using  a  saucer  with  a  rag  in  it  for  a  wick, 
and  by  this  strange  light  they  Avould  read  and  write  until 
late  into  the  night.  When  Phoebe  was  fourteen  she  began 
to  compose  verses,  and  at  seventeen  she  was  able  to  write 
quite  well.  She  and  her  sister  lived  together  all  their  lives 
and  cared  much  for  each  other.  The  last  twenty  years  of 
their  lives  were  spent  at  their  home  in  New  York  City,  but 
they  never  forgot  "the  good  old-fashioned  homestead" 
where  they  were  bom.  They  both  died  the  same  year, 
in  1871. 

Read:  "Nobody's  Child,"  "Our  Homestead,"  "Sup- 
pose" and  "Now,"  by  Phcebe  Cary ;  Mary  Clemmer's 
Memorial  of  Alice  and  Phcehe  Cary,  and  Whittier's  "The 
Singer. ' ' 

Sing:  "Nearer  Home"  (a  hymn  by  Phoebe  Cary),  found 
in  almost  any  hymn  book. 

Birthday:  Phoebe  Cary,  an  American  poet,  bom  near 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  September  4,  1824;  died  in  Newport, 
R.  I.,  July  31,  1871. 

5    PATIENCE 

Just  a  little  every  day; 

That's  the  way 
Children    learn    to    read    and    write, 
Bit  by  bit  and  mite  by  mite, 

Never  any  one,  I  say, 
Leaps  to  knowledge  and  its  power. 
Slowly,  slowlv — hour  by  hour — 

That's' the  way; 

Just  a  little  every  day. 

— Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox 


14  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

6    PATRIOTISM 

The  moment  I  heard  of  America,  I  loved  her;  the 
moment  I  knew  she  -vvas  fighting  for  freedom,  I  burnt 
with  a  desire  of  bleeding  for  her;  and  the  moment  I 
shall  be  able  to  serve  her  at  any  time  or  in  any  part 
of  the  world,  will  be  the  happiest  one  of  my  life. 

— Lafayette 

AMERICA'S  DEBT  TO  LAFAYETTE 

America  owes  a  great  deal  to  this  gallant  yoiing  French- 
man^ who  crossed  the  seas  to  aid  the  colonies.  He  was 
among  the  first  of  those  foreigners  who  showed  the  colonists 
that  the  love  of  liberty  was  as  wide  as  the  world.  He 
came  when  hope  was  low,  and  his  coming  meant  much  to 
the  brave  men  who  had  to  imdergo  the  long,  discouraging 
winter  at  Valley  Forge,  and  the  days  when  it  seemed  as 
though  time  would  prove  them  only  rebels  and  not  patriots. 
He  brought  ships,  and  men,  and  money  to  aid  in  the  great 
cause,  but  more  than  all  these  were  his  oami  magnetic 
personality  and  the  buoyant  spirit  that  refused  to  be  cast 
down.  — Historic  Boyhoods 

Read:  "Lafayette,  the  Boy  of  Versailles,"  from  His- 
tonc  Boyhoods,  by  Holland;  Story  of  Lafayette,  by  Mar- 
garet J.  Codd. 

Sing:    "Hail!  Columbia,"  from  American  School  Songs. 

Birthday:  ]\Iarquis  de  Lafayette,  born  in  Auvergne, 
France,  September  6,  1757;  died  in  Paris,  France,  May 
20,  1834. 

7    CHARITY 

This  world  is  not  so  bad  a  world 

As  some  would  like  to  make  it: 
Though   whether   good   or   whether   bad, 

Depends  on  how  we  take  it. 

—J/.   W.  Beck 


iHe  was  but  twenty  years  old  then,  having  set  sail  for  America 
April  20,  1777,  in  a  boat  happily  named  La  Victoire. 


SEPTEMBER  15 

THE  DOVE  AND  THE  WOODPECKER 

A  DOVE  and  a  woodpecker  had  been  visiting  a  peacock. 
"How  did  3''0u  like  our  host?"  asked  the  woodpecker,  after 
their  visit.  "Is  he  not  very  disagreeable !  His  vanity, 
shapeless  feet,  and  his  harsh  voice  are  unbearable.  Don't 
you  think  so?"  "Indeed  I  had  no  time,"  said  the  gentle 
dove,  "to  notice  these  things;  I  was  so  occupied  with  the 
beauty  of  his  head,  the  gorgeousness  of  his  colors,  and  the 
majesty  of  his  train." 

Sing:  "Life  is  What  We  Make  It,"  from  Merry 
Melodies. 

8  AUTUMN 

Summer's  a  step  behind  us. 

And  Autumn's  a  thought  before, 
And  each  fleet,   sweet  day  that  we  meet  on  the  way 

Is  an  angel  at  the  door. 

Read:     "The  Anxious  Leaf,"  from  Household  Stories, 
by  Klingensmith. 
"Autumn  Leaves,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Sing:      "Autumn,"    from   American   School   Songs,   or 

Birthdays:  Ludovico  Ariosto,  a  famous  Italian  poet, 
born  at  Reggio,  Italy,  September  8,  1474 ;  died  in  Ferrara, 
Italy,  June  6,  1533. 

Antonin  Dvorak,  a  noted  musician,  born  in  Miihlhausen, 
Bohemia,  September  8,  1841 ;  died  in  Prague,  Bohemia, 
May  1,  1904. 

9  HABITS 

How  shall  I  a  habit  break? 
As  you  did  that  habit  make. 
As    we    builded    stone    by    stone, 
We  must  toil  unhelped,  alone, 
'Till  the  wall  is  overthrown. 

—O'Reilly 


16  MOKNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

THE  FORMING  OF  HABITS 

How  are  habits  formed?  When  we  repeat  an  act  many 
times,  we  finally  do  it  easily  without  thinking,  and  it 
becomes  a  habit.  In  time  we  find  it  difficult  to  do  that 
thing  in  a  different  way,  or  to  leave  off  doing  it.  Walking 
is  a  habit.  So  are  sitting  and  standing  in  a  certain  way. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  habits :  good  habits  and  bad  habits. 
One's  habits  make  up  one's  character.  What  are  some  of 
the  good  habits?  Cleanliness,  politeness,  obedience,  cheer- 
fulness, good  will,  self-control,  industry,  courage,  generos- 
ity, honesty,  respect.)  Bad  habits?  (Swearing,  gossiping, 
drinking,  smoking,  etc.)  Have  you  ever  watched  a  monkey 
imitate  the  actions  of  a  person?  Have  you  ever  "caught" 
the  habits  of  another  person,  as  biting  the  nails,  talking 
or  laughing  loudly,  shuffling  or  dragging  the  feet,  squint- 
ing? Good  habits  make  gentlemen  and  ladies  of  us.  They 
also  make  many  friends  for  us.  Habits  make  or  ruin  our 
lives.  Therefore,  too  great  stress  cannot  be  laid  on  the 
early  forming  of  good  habits. 

10    HABITS 

[Continued] 

All  habits  gather  by  unseen  degrees 

As  brooks  make  rivers,  rivers  run  to  seas. 

— Dryden 

HABIT 

There  was  once  a  horse  that  used  to  pull  around  a  sweep 
which  lifted  dirt  from  the  depths  of  the  earth.  He  was 
kept  at  the  business  for  nearly  twenty  years,  until  he 
became  old,  blind  and  too  stiff  in  the  joints  for  further  use. 
So  he  was  turned  into  a  pasture,  or  left  to  crop  the  grass 
without  any  one  to  disturb  or  bother  him.  But  the  funny 
thing  about  the  old  horse  was  that  every  morning  after 
grazing  awhile  he  would  start  on  a  tramp,  going  round 


SEPTEMBER  17 

and  round  in  a  circle,  just  as  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
do  for  so  many  years.  He  would  keep  it  up  for  hours,  and 
people  often  stopped  to  look  and  wonder  what  had  got  into 
the  head  of  the  venerable  animal  to  make  him  walk  around 
in  such  a  solemn  way  when  there  was  no  earthly  need  of 
it.  But  it  was  the  force  of  habit.  And  the  boy  who  forms 
bad  or  good  habits  in  his  youth  will  be  led  by  them  when 
he  becomes  old,  and  will  be  miserable  or  happy  accordingly. 

— The  Evangelist 

Sing:  "Be  Careful  What  You  Sow,"  from  American 
School  Songs. 

11    CONTENTMENT 

Why  sigh  you  for  jewels?    There's  plenty,  I  ween, 
For  out  on  the  currant-bush  rubies  I've  seen. 
There    are    emeralds    hid    in    each    glistening    leaf, 
And  topazes  rare  in  the  wheat's  golden  sheaf; 
There  are  pearls  on  the  snow-berry  bush,  little  lass, 
And  diamonds  hid  in  the  dew  on  the  grass. 
Then  search  in  the  garden,  in  morn's  early  dew; 
Go  gather  your  jewels,  God  made  them  for  you. 

— A  Little  Maid's  Jewels 

Read:  ''The  Discontented  Pine  Tree,"  from  Household 
Stories,  by  Klingensmith ;  * '  The  Country  Mouse  and  the 
Town  Mouse,"  from  Scudder's  Fables  and  Folk  Stories; 
"Cornelia's  Jewels,"  from  Baldwin's  Fifty  Famous  Sto- 
ries Retold. 

12    TRUE  WORTH 

-  .     A  great  nation  is  made  only  by  worthy  citizens.  i 

— Charles  Dudley  Warner 

ROOM  AT  THE  TOP 

It  is  related  of  Mr.  Webster  that,  when  a  young  lawyer 
suggested  to  him  that  the  profession  to  which  he  had 
devoted  himself  was  overcrowded,  the  great  man  replied, 
"Young  man,  there  is  always  room  enough  at  the  top,*' 


IS  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Never  was  a  Aviser  or  more  suggestive  word  said.     There 
undoubtedly  is  always  room  enough  where  excellency  lives. 

— Josiah  G.  Holland 

Read:  "He  Aimed  High  and  Hit  the  Mark"  and 
"There  is  Room  Enough  at  the  Top,"  from  Marden's 
Stories  from  Life. 

Sing:  "Learn  a  Little  Every  Day,"  from  Merry 
Melodies. 

Birthdays :  Richard  J.  Gatling,  the  inventor  of  the  Gat- 
ling  gun,  which  is  used  in  the  United  States  army,  born  in 
Hertford  Co.,  N.  C,  September  12,  1818 ;  died  in  New  York 
City,  February  26,  1903. 

Charles  Dudley  Warner,  an  American  writer,  born  in 
Plainfield,  Mass.,  September  12,  1829;  died  October  20, 
1900. 

13    SEPTEMBER  DAYS 

September  days  are  here, 

With   summer's   best   of   weather 

And  autumn's  best  of  cheer. 

— Helen  Hunt  Jackson 

Sing:  "September  Days,"  from  Hanson's  Gems  of 
Song. 

^       14    OBEDIENCE 

If  you're  told  to  do  a  thing, 

And  mean  to  do  it  really. 
Never  let  it  be  by  halves; 

Do  it  fully,  freely. 

— Phoebe  Gary 

THE  GIRL  IN  THE  BROOK 

One  day  Mary  and  her  mother  crossed  the  little  stream 
that  came  from  the  pond.  The  stones  and  sand  were  white 
and  smooth. 


SEPTEMBER  19 

"May  I  play  in  the  water,  Mother?"  asked  Mary.  "Yes, 
if  you  turn  your  dress  up  so  that  it  will  not  get  wet," 
said  her  mother. 

By  and  by  there  was  a  noise  like  thunder.  It  seemed 
to  come  from  the  pond. 

"Quick,  Mary,  come  here,"  cried  her  mother.  Mary 
did  not  stop  to  ask  why.  She  ran  to  the  place  where  her 
mother  stood.  Then  she  looked  back.  The  stream  was 
pouring  over  the  rocks.  The  great  water-gate  by  the  dam 
was  opei;.  If  Mary  had  waited  she  would  have  been  car- 
ried down  the  stream  into  the  river.  There  is  not  always 
time  to  ask  why.  — N.  Y.  Teachers'  Monographs 

Read:  "Raggylug,"  as  adapted  from  Ernest  Thompson 
Seton's  Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known,  in  Hotv  to  Tell  Sto- 
ries to  Children,  by  Sara  Cone  Bryant;  Bible,  Prov.  4:  1-5. 

Sing:  "Duty  and  Inclination,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthday :  Charles  Dana  Gibson,  an  American  artist, 
born  in  Roxbury,  Mass.,  September  14,  1867 ;  lives  in  New 
York  City. 

15    COURAGE 

If  you  are  about  to  strive  for  your  life,  take  with 
you  a  stout  heart  and  a  clean  conscience,  and  trust  the 
rest  to  God. — From  "The  Pilot,"  by  J.  Fenimore  Cooper. 

COOPER'S  LITERARY  LIFE 

Cooper's  literary  life  is  said  to  have  begun  in  rather  a 
curious  w^ay.  One  evening  while  reading  an  English  novel 
to  his  wife,  he  declared  that  he  could  write  a  better  one 
himself.  To  prove  it  he  wrote  Precaiition,  which  was  pub- 
lished anonymously  in  1819.  The  book  attracted  very  little 
attention  and  is  said  to  have  been  disowned  by  its  author. 
However,  this  did  not  discourage  Cooper.  In  fact  it  set 
him  to  work  harder  than  ever  to  prove  his  contention,  and 


20  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

in  1821,  The  Spij,  a  novel  founded  on  incidents  of  the 
American  Revolution,  was  published  and  became  popular  at 
once.  This  was  followed  by  thirty-eight  other  books,  nearly 
all  of  which  are  widely  read  and  liked. 

Read:  Selections  from  Cooper's  works,  as  The  Deer- 
slayer,  The  Spy,  The  Pilot,  The  Last  of  the  Mohicans,  etc. 

Sing:  "The  Secret  of  Success,"  from  TJncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  James  Fenimore  Cooper,  a  noted  American 
novelist,  born  at  Burlington,  N.  J.,  September  15,  1789; 
died  at  Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  September  1-4,  1851. 

William  Howard  Taft,  twenty-seventh  President  of  the 
United  States,  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  September  15,  1857. 

16    WORK 

Let  us,  then,  be  up  and   doing, 

With  a  heart  for  any  fate; 
Still  achieving,  still  pursuing, 

Learn  to  labor  and  to  wait. 

— Longfellow 

Birthdays:  Anne  Bradstreet,  author  of  the  first  book 
of  poetry  written  in  America,  born  in  Northampton,  Eng- 
land, about  1612;  died  at  Andover,  Mass.,  September  16, 
1672. 

Francis  Parkman,  an  American  writer  of  history,  born 
in  Boston,  Mass.,  September  16,  1823 ;  died  at  Jamaica 
Plain,  near  Boston,  November  8,  1893. 

Hamlin  Garland,  an  American  author,  born  at  West 
Salem,  Wis.,  Sept.  16,  1861 ;  lives  in  Chicago. 

17    GEATITUDE 

I  thank  Thee,  Lord,  for  quiet  rest, 

And  for  Thy  care  of  me; 
Oh,  let  me  through  this  day  be  blest. 

And  kept  from  harm  by  Thee. 


SEPTEMBER  21 

Oh,   let  me   thank   Thee;    kind   Thou   art 

To  children  such  as  I ; 
Give  me  a  gentle,   loving  heart; 

Be  Thou  my  Friend  on  high. 

Help  me  to  please  my  parents  dear, 

And  do  whate'er  they  tell ; 
Bless  all  my  friends,  both  far  and  near, 

And  keep  them  safe  and  well. 

— Osgood 

18    PERSEVERANCE 

Great  works  are  performed,  not  by  strength  but  by 
perseverance. — Samuel  Johnson 

THE  STORY  OF  SAMUEL  JOHNSON 

"When  Samuel  Johnson  was  a  little  boy,  his  family  was 
very  poor,  and  his  chances  of  obtaining  an  education  were 
slight.  His  father  was  a  bookseller,  and  as  soon  as  little 
Samuel  was  old  enough  he  would  visit  his  father's  shop  and 
pore  over  the  books  on  the  shelves.  Most  boys  would  have 
learned  little  this  way,  but  much  that  was  dull  to  ordinary 
lads  was  interesting  to  Samuel. 

While  he  was  thus  picking  up  knowledge,  his  father's 
business  declined,  and  the  family  was  placed  in  hopeless 
poverty.  Samuel  studied  several  years  at  Oxford,  but  was 
too  poor  to  finish  his  course.  He  was  being  sneered  at  for 
his  ragged  appearance.  Fun  was  made  of  him  because  of 
the  holes  in  his  shoes.  Then  his  father  died,  after  which 
for  a  good  many  years  Samuel 's  life  was  one  hard  struggle 
with  poverty. 

He  opened  a  school,  but  this  proved  a  failure.  He 
wasn't  going  to  give  up,  however,  and  so  began  writing  for 
magazines  and  doing  other  literary  work  for  very  small 
pay.  Later  he  became  famous  as  a  writer.  He  prepared 
the  first  good  dictionary  of  the  English  language  that  was 
ever  written.  One  of  his  books  is  said  to  have  been  written 
in  the  evenings  of  a  single  week. 


22 


MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 


Birthday:  Samuel  Johnson,  a  famous  English  writer, 
born  in  Lichfield,  England,  September  18,  1709;  died  in 
London,  England,  December  13,  1784. 

19    WORK 

The   heights   by   great   men   reached   and   kept 

Were  not  attained  by  sudden  flight; 
But  they,  while  their  companions  slept, 

Were  toiling  upward  through  the  night. 

— LongfeUoic 

Read:  "I  Will  Paint  or  Die,"  and  "The  Boy  Who 
Said  'I  Must,'  "  from  IMarden's  Stories  from  Life;  Bible, 
Prov.  10:1-5. 

Sing:  "Work  and  Play,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary 
Songs. 

20    TRUTHFULNESS 

Oh,  what  a  tangled  web  we  weave 
When  first  we  practice  to  deceive. 

—Scott 

PRESIDENT  GRANT'S  WAY 

A  VERY  important  meeting  was  being  held  in  the  Capitol 
at  Washington.  A  caller  asked  to  see  President  Grant. 
Some  one  said  to  the  servant  who  brought  the  message: 
"Tell  the  man  that  President  Grant  is  not  in." 

"No,"  said  the  President,  who  heard  the  order,  "tell 
him  no  such  thing.  I  don't  lie  myself,  and  I  don't  wish 
any  of  my  servants  to  lie  for  me. ' ' 

Read:  "George  Washington  and  His  Hatchet,"  from 
Baldwin's  Fifty  Famous  Stories;  "The  Honest  Woodman," 
from  Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten  Stories. 

21    WRONGING  OTHERS 

Oh,  many  a  shaft  at  random  sent 
Finds  mark  the  archer  little  meant; 
And  many  a  word  at  random  spoken. 
May   soothe  or  wound  a   heart  that's   broken. 

—Scott 


SEPTEMBER  23 

AN  INCIDENT  IN  SCOTT'S  LIFE 

Sir  Walter  Scott  related  the  following  incident  of  his 
own  life  to  an  intimate  friend : 

There  was  a  boy  in  his  class  at  school,  who  always  stood 
at  the  top,  nor  could  the  utmost  efforts  of  young  Scott  dis- 
place him.  At  length  he  observed,  when  a  question  was 
asked  this  boy,  he  always  fumbled  with  his  fingers  at  a 
particular  button  on  the  lower  part  of  his  waistcoat;  and 
the  removal  of  this  was,  therefore,  determined.  The  plot 
was  executed,  and  succeeded  too  well.  When  the  boy  was 
again  questioned,  his  fingers  sought  again  for  the  button, 
but  it  could  not  be  found.  In  his  distress  he  looked  down 
for  it,  but  it  was  not  to  be  seen.  He  stood  confounded,  and 
Scott  took  possession  of  his  place,  which  the  boy  never 
recovered.  The  w^rong  thus  done  was,  however,  attended, 
as  it  always  must  be,  with  pain.  "Often,"  said  Scott,  ''in 
after  life,  the  sight  of  him  smote  me."  Heartily  did  he 
wish  that  this  unkind  act  had  never  been  done. 

Let  it  constantly  be  remembered,  that  we  are  not  left  to 
act  as  we  please; — the  rule  is  of  the  highest  authority: 
"Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye 
even  so  to  them." 

Birthdays:  Louis  Joliet,  a  French  traveler,  one  of  the 
first  to  explore  the  Mississippi  river,  born  in  Quebec, 
Ontario,  Canada,  September  21,  1645;  died  in  the 
year  1700. 

John  Loudon  Macadam,  inventor  of  the  roads  called 
after  him  "macadamized  roads,"  born  in  Ayr,  Scotland, 
September  21,  1756;  died  at  Moffat,  Scotland,  November 
26,  1836. 

Sir  Walter  Scott,  a  famous  Scottish  novelist  and  poet, 
born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  August  15,  1771;  died  at 
Abbotsford,  Scotland,  September  21,  1832. 


24  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

22    POLITENESS 

Hearts,  like  doors,  will  ope  with  ease 
To  very,  very  little  keys; 
And  don't  forget  that  two  are  these: 
/  thank  you,  sir,  and  //  you  please. 

23    TRUE  WORTH 

Traverse  the  desert,  and  ye  can  tell 
What  treasures  exist  in  the  cold  deep  well; 
Sink  in  despair  on  the  red  pareh'd  earth, 
And  then  ye  may  reckon  what  water  is  worth. 

— Eliza  Cook 

THE  KING'S  GARDEN 

Once  there  was  a  king  who  owned  a  beautiful  flower 
garden.  One  evening  he  walked  among  his  flowers,  glad 
that  they  were  so  full  of  beauty.  The  next  morning  one  of 
his  servants  told  him  that  his  garden  had  been  destroyed 
in  the  night. 

The  king  hurried  to  the  garden,  and  found  the  roses 
hanging  their  heads;  the  vines  lying  withered  on  the 
groimd,  and  the  trees  quite  leafless.  Of  one  of  the  roses 
he  asked:  "Why  is  this?"  The  rose  replied:  "What  is 
the  use  of  blooming?  A  rose  can  live  but  a  day  or  two 
at  most."  The  king  asked  the  same  question  of  the  vine. 
It  answered:  "It  is  so  little  that  we  can  give.  We  had 
better  give  nothing."  The  tree  said:  "I  am  useless.  I 
just  stand  here  idle." 

Then  at  his  feet  the  king  saw  a  little  pansy  blooming 
beautifully.  He  asked  why  it  was  not  fading  too,  and  it 
replied,  "King,  you  put  me  here,  and  I  try  to  be  just  the 
best  little  flower  I  can." 

Then  the  king  said:  "O  flowers,  vine,  and  tree,  if  each 
one  does  his  best,  even  though  it  be  but  little,  what  more 
can  he  do?"  — Selected 


SEPTEMBER  25 

Sing:  ''Looks,  Words  and  Deeds,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best 
Primary  Songs. 

Birthday :  Eliza  Cook,  an  English  poet,  born  in  London, 
England,  about  1818 ;  died  at  Thornton  Hall,  Wimbledon, 
England,  September  23,  1889. 

24    KINDNESS  TO  ANIMALS 

I  will  try  to  be  kind  to  all  harmless,  living  creatures, 
and  to  protect  them  from  cruel  usage. 

— Pledge  of  Band  of  Mercy 

LINCOLN'S  KINDNESS  TO  BIRDS 

The  following  incident  is  related  by  one  who  knew  Lin- 
coln, and  who,  at  the  time  of  the  incident,  was  his  fellow- 
traveler. 

We  passed  through  a  thicket  of  wild  plum  and  crabapple 
trees,  and  stopped  to  water  our  horses.  One  of  the  party 
came  up  alone,  and  we  inquired,  "Where  is  Lincoln?" 

"Oh,"  he  replied,  "when  I  saw  him  last,  he  had  caught 
two  young  birds  which  the  wind  had  blown  out  of  their 
nest,  and  he  was  hunting  for  the  nest  that  he  might  put 
them  back  in  it. ' ' 

In  a  short  time  Lincoln  came  up,  having  found  the  nest 
and  restored  the  birds.  The  party  laughed  at  his  care  of 
the  young  birds ;  but  Lincoln  said,  ' '  I  could  not  have  slept 
if  I  had  not  restored  those  little  birds  to  their  mother." 

Read:  "Androclus  and  the  Lion,"  from  Baldwin's 
Fifty  Famous  Stories  Retold. 

Sing:  "The  Bird  with  a  Broken  Wing,"  from  Uncle 
Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Antoine  Louis  Barye,  a  famous  sculptor, 
celebrated  for  his  animal  sculptures,  born  in  Paris,  France, 
September  24,  1795 ;  died  in  Paris,  June  25,  1875. 


26  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

John  Marshall,  chief-justice  of  the  United  States,  bom 
in  Fauquier  Co.,  Va.,  September  24,  1755;  died  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  July  6,  1835. 

25    CHARACTER 

Oh!   let  us  live,  so  that  flower  by  flower, 

Shutting  in  turn  may  leave 
A  lingerer  still  for  the  sunset  hour, 

A  charm  for  the  shaded  eve. 

— Mrs.  Felicia  D.  Hemans 

Read:  "The  Point  of  View,"  from  The  Golden  Win- 
doivs,  by  Richards. 

Sing :     "To  Our  Friends, ' '  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary 

Songs. 

Birthdays:  Mrs.  Felicia  D.  Hemans,  an  English  poet, 
born  in  Liverpool,  England,  September  25,  1794;  died  near 
Dublin,  Ireland,  May  12,  1835. 

Gaetano  Donizetti,  a  noted  Italian  writer  of  operas,  bom 
in  Bergamo,  Italy,  September  25,  1798 ;  died  in  Bergamo, 
April  8,  1848.  Composer  of  La  Favorita,  Lucia  di  Lam- 
mermoor,  and  about  sixty  other  operas. 

26  PATIENCE 

Teach    me,    Father,    how    to    be, 
Kind  and  patient  as  a  tree. 

— Edwin  Markham 

Read:  "How  the  Leaves  Came  Down,"  by  Susan  Cool- 
idge;  "Talking  in  Their  Sleep,"  by  Edith  Thomas;  "The 
Little  Rooster,"  from  Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten 
Stories. 

Sing:     "Morning  Song,"  from  Hanson's  Gems  of  Song. 

27  NEATNESS 

Let  thy  mind's   sweetness   have   its   operation 
Upon  thy  body,  clothes,  and  habitation. 


SEPTEMBER  27 

THE  BOY  WHO  RECOMMENDED   HIMSELF 

A  GENTLEMAN  advertised  for  a  boy  to  assist  him  in  his 
office,  and  nearly  fifty  applicants  presented  themselves  to 
him.  Out  of  the  whole  number,  he  selected  one,  and  dis- 
missed the  rest.  "I  should  like  to  know,"  said  a  friend, 
"on  what  ground  you  selected  that  boy,  who  had  not  a 
single  recommendation."  "You  are  mistaken,"  said  the 
gentleman,  "he  had  a  great  man3^  He  wiped  his  feet 
when  he  came  in,  and  closed  the  door  after  him,  showing 
that  he  was  careful.  He  gave  his  seat  instantly  to  that 
lame  old  man,  showing  that  he  was  kind  and  thoughtful. 
He  took  off  his  cap  when  he  came  in,  and  answered  my 
questions  promptly,  showing  that  he  was  polite  and  gentle- 
manly. He  picked  up  the  book,  which  I  had  purposely 
laid  on  the  floor,  and  replaced  it  upon  the  table,  while  all 
the  rest  stepped  over  it,  showing  that  he  was  orderly ;  and 
he  waited  quietly  for  his  turn,  instead  of  pushing  and 
crowding.  "When  I  talked  to  him,  I  noticed  that  his  cloth- 
ing was  tidy,  his  hair  neatly  brushed,  and  his  finger  nails 
clean.  Do  you  not  call  these  things  letters  of  recommenda- 
tion?   I  do."  — Little  Corporal 

Birthday :  Samuel  Adams,  an  American  patriot  and  one 
of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  bom  in 
Boston,  Mass.,  September  27,  1722 ;  died  in  Boston,  October 
2,  1803. 

28    CHARITY 

I  will  speak  more  kindly  and  considerately  to  those 
whose  claims  are  unrecognized  by  the  society  in  which 
I  live,  than  I  will  to  others.  I  will  bow  more  cordially 
to  those  to  whom  persons  of  position  do  not  bow  at  all, 
and  I  will  try  in  a  thousand  pleasant,  nameless  ways 
to  make  them  happier.  God  help  me  to  keep  my 
promise  good! — Frances  E.  Willard 

Birthday:  Frances  E.  Willard,  lecturer,  reformer  and 
philanthropist,  born  in  Churchville,  N.  Y.,  September  28, 
1839 ;  died  in  New  York  City,  February  17,  1898. 


28  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

29    TEMPERANCE 

More  are  drowned  in  the  bowl  than  in  the  sea. 

— Publius  Syrus 

THE  TWO  WORKERS 

BY  JOHN   W.    AVERY 

Two  workers  in  one  field 

Toiled  on  from  day  to  day; 
Both  had  the  same  hard  labor, 

Both  had  the  same  small  pay, 
With  the  same  blue  sky  above, 

And  the  same  green  earth  below, 
One  soul  was  full  of  love, 

The  other  full  of  woe. 

One  leaped  up  with  the  light, 

With  the  soaring  of  the  lark ; 
One  felt  his  woe  each  night. 

For  his  soul  was  ever  dark. 
One  heart  was  hard  as  stone. 

One  heart  was  ever  gay  ; 
One  toiled  with  many  a  groan. 

One  whistled  all  the  day. 

One  had  a  flower-clad  cot 

Beside  a  merry  mill ; 
Wife  and  children  near  the  spot, 

Made  it  sweeter,  fairer  still.     . 
One  a  wretched  hovel  had, 

Full  of  discord,  dirt  and  din; 
No  wonder  he  seemed  mad, 

Wife  and  children  starved  within. 

Still  they  worked  in  the  same  field, 
Toiling  on  from  day  to  day ; 

Both  had  the  same  hard  labor, 
Both  had  the  same  small  pay. 


SEPTEMBER  29 

But  they  worked  not  with  one  will — 

The  reason,  let  me  tell: 
Lo !  one  drank  at  the  still, 

And  the  other  at  the  well. 

Read :     Bible,  Prov.  20 : 1 ;  21 :  17  ;  23  :  19-23. 

Sing:  "The  Flower's  Drink,"  from  JJncle  Sam's  ScJiool 
Songs. 

Birthday:  John  McAllister  Schofield,  an  American  gen- 
eral, born  in  Chautauqua  Co.,  N.  Y.,  September  29,  1831; 
died  March  4,  1906. 

30    FIDELITY  IN  DUTY 

Though  your  duty  may  be  hard, 

Look  not  on  it  as  an  ill; 
If  it  be  an  honest  task 

Do  it  with  an  honest  will. 

— Richard  B.   Sheridan 

THE  FAITHFUL  LITTLE  HOLLANDER 

In  some  parts  of  Holland  the  land  lies  so  low,  that  the 
people  build  great  walls  of  earth,  called  dikes,  to  keep  out 
the  sea.  Sometimes  the  waves  break  down  these  walls,  and 
then  the  sea  rushes  in  through  the  breach,  and  spreads 
over  the  land,  often  doing  great  damage.  Houses  have 
thus  been  washed  away,  and  many  people  drowned. 

Once  as  a  little  boy  was  going  home  in  the  evening,  he 
saw  a  hole  in  one  of  the  dikes,  through  which  the  water 
was  trickling.  His  father  had  often  told  him  that  when 
this  happened,  unless  the  water  was  stopped,  it  would  soon 
make  the  hole  so  large  that  the  sea  would  rush  in  and 
overflow  the  land. 

At  first  he  thought  he  would  run  home  and  tell  his  father. 
But  then  he  said  to  himself,  ' '  It  may  be  dark  before  father 
can  come,  and  we  shall  not  be  -able  to  find  the  hole  again ; 
or  it  may  get  so  large  that  it  Avill  be  too  late  to  stop  it. 
I  must  stay  now,  and  do  the  best  I  can  alone. ' ' 


30  MOKNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

The  brave  little  boy  sat  down,  and  stopped  the  hole  with 
earth,  holding  it  with  his  hand  to  keep  back  the  water. 
There  he  staid  hour  after  hour  in  the  cold  and  the  dark, 
all  through  the  night. 

In  the  morning  a  man  came  past  and  saw  him.  He  could 
not  think  what  the  boy  was  doing;  and  so  he  called  out  to 
him,  "What  are  you  doing  there,  my  boy?" — "There  is  a 
hole  in  the  dike,"  said  the  boy,  "and  I  am  keeping  back 
the   water." 

Poor  little  boy !  He  was  so  cold  and  tired  that  he  could 
scarcely  speak.  The  man  came  quickly  and  set  him  free. 
He  had  the  hole  closed  up.  and  thus  the  land  was  saved, 
thanks  to  the  faithful  and  brave  boy.       — Eoyal  Reader 

Read:  "Findelkind,"  by  De  la  Ramee,  from  Bimhi 
Stories. 

Sing:  "Here's  to  that  Boy,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School 
Sojigs. 

Birthday:  Richard  B.  Sheridan,  a  British  writer  and 
statesman,  bom  in  Dublin.  Ireland.  September  30,  1751 ; 
died  in  London,  England.  July  7,  1816. 


OCTOBER 


X    HEROISM 

Heroism  is  simple,  and  yet  it  is  rare.     Every  one  who 
does  the  best  he  can  is  a  hero. — Josh  Billings 

"DON'T  GIVE  UP  THE  SHIP!" 

In  the  War  of  1812,  there  was  in  our  navy  a  ship  called 
the  Hornet,  with  Captain  James  Lawrence  as  its  com- 
mander. One  day  it  engaged  in  battle  with  the  English 
vessel  Peacock.  So  fast  and  so  thick  flew  the  balls,  so  hot 
and  so  terrible  was  the  battle,  that  in  fifteen  minutes  the 
proud  Peacock  had  lost  all  her  glory  and  her  pride,  all  her 
beauty  and  her  courage,  and  lay  upon  the  waters  a  complete 
wreck.  Her  commander  surrendered  to  Lawrence,  the 
crew  were  taken  prisoners  and  transferred  to  the  Hornet. 

Later  Captain  Lawrence  was  given  another  vessel  and 
met  the  English  vessel  Sharmon  in  battle.  After  a  hot, 
fierce  battle  Lawrence's  ship  was  wrecked  and  Lawrence 
himself,  who  always  stood  in  the  very  thickest  of  the  fire, 
was  mortally  wounded. 

Very  carefully  did  his  officers  carry  below  their  much 
loved  commander;  and  La\\Tence,  not  forgetting  his 
charge  even  in  dying,  whispered,  almost  with  his  last 
breath,  "Don't  give  up  the  ship!"  — Adapted 

Sing:    "America"  or  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner." 
Birthday:     James  Lawrence,   a  noted  American   naval 

officer,  born  in  Burlington,  N.  J.,  October  1,  1781;  died 

January  5,  1813. 


32  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

2    OCTOBER'S  BRIGHT  WEATHER 

O  suns  and  skies  and  flowers  of  June, 

Count  all  your  boasts  together. 
Love  loveth  best  of  all  the  year, 

October's  bright  blue  weather. 

— Helen  Hunt  Jackson 

Birthday :  Major  John  Andre,  a  British  officer  hanged 
as  a  spy  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  born  of  Swiss  par- 
ents in  London,  England,  1751 ;  hanged  at  Tappan,  N.  Y., 
October  2,  1780. 

3    FRIENDSHIP 

The  friendship  between  me  and  you  I  will  not  com- 
pare to  a  chain;  for  that  rains  might  rust,  or  the  falling 
tree  might  break. 

— From    "History    of    the    United    States, 
by  George  Bancroft 

DAMON  AND  PYTHIAS 

More  than  two  thousand  years  ago  two  young  men  who 
were  intimate  friends  lived  in  Greece.  Their  names  were 
Damon  and  Pythias. 

The  ruler  of  the  country,  named  Dionysius,  was  a  cruel 
man.  He  put  Pythias  into  prison  and  set  a  day  for  his 
death.  Pythias  had  done  nothing  wrong,  but  he  had  con- 
victed the  ruler  of  wrong-doing. 

The  father  and  mother  of  Pythias  lived  in  another  part 
of  the  country.  "May  I  go  home  to  bid  them  good-by, 
and  to  arrange  my  affairs  before  I  die?"  he  asked. 

The  ruler  laughed.  "That  is  a  strange  request,"  said 
he.  "Of  course  you  would  escape  and  you  would  never 
come  back." 

At  that  moment  Damon  stepped  forward.  "I  am  his 
friend, ' '  he  said.    I  will  stay  in  prison  till  Pythias  returns. ' ' 

Then  the  ruler  asked:  "What  will  happen  if  Pythias 
does  not  return?" 

"I  will  die  for  him,"  said  Damon. 


OCTOBER 


33 


This  surprised  Dionysius  very  much.  He  put  Damon  in 
prison  and  Pythias  went  home.  Weeks  went  by  and 
Pythias  did  not  return.  At  last  the  day  of  execution  came, 
and  Damon  was  led  out  to  be  put  to  death.  He  said: 
''Pythias  will  come  if  he  is  alive.  I  can  trust  him 
absolutely. ' ' 

Just  then  soldiers  ran  up,  shouting:  "Here  he  comes! 
Here  he  comes ! ' ' 

Yes,  there  was  Pythias,  breathless  with  haste.  He  had 
been  shipwrecked  on  his  journey  and  had  been  cast  on  shore 
many  miles  away.  He  had  walked  all  those  miles  to  get 
back  in  time. 

Dionysius  w^as  greatly  moved.  ' '  You  are  both  free, ' '  said 
he.  "I  w^ould  give  all  I  have  for  one  such  friend.  Will 
you  let  me  become  a  friend  to  you  both?" 

— Ethics  for  Children 

Read :     Bible,  Prov.  27 :  9-10. 

Sing:     "Auld  Lang  Syne." 

Birthdays:  Miles  Standish,  the  first  military  leader  of 
the  Puritan  settlers  in  New  England,  bom  in  Lancashire, 
England,  about  1584;  died  in  Duxbury,  Mass.,  October 
3,  1656. 

George  Bancroft,  an  American  statesman  and  historian, 
born  in  Worcester,  Mass.,  October  3,  1800;  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  January  17,  1891. 

Elias  Howe,  a  noted  American  inventor,  born  in  Spencer, 
Mass.,  July  9,  1819;  died  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  October  3^ 
1867. 

4    HONOR 

The  soul  asks  houor,  and  not  fame;  to  be  upright, 
not  to  be  successful,  to  be  good,  not  prosperous;  to  be 
essentially,  not  outwardly,  respectable. 

— Robert  Louis  Stevenson 

Birthdays:     Jean    Francois    Millet,    a   French    painter, 


34  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

bom  in  Gruchy,  France,  October  4,  1814 ;  died  at  Barbizon, 
near  Paris,  France,  January  18,  1875. 

Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  nineteenth  president  of  the  United 
States,  born  in  Delaware,  Ohio,  October  4,  1822;  died  at 
Fremont,  Ohio,  January  17,  1893. 

Frederic  Remington,  an  American  artist  and  author, 
born  in  Canton,  N.  Y.,  October  4,  1861 ;  died  at  Ridgefield, 
Conn.,  December  26,  1909. 

5    SELF-RELIANCE 

I    hold    it    truth    with    him    who    sings 
To  one  clear  harp  in  divers  tones, 
That  men  may  rise  on  stepping-stones 

Of  their  dead  selves  to  higher  things. 

— Tennyson 

THE  JUDGE'S  BENCH 

0^^E  who  cultivates  self-reliance  will  grow  stronger 
physically,  mentally  and  morally.  It  is  better  for  one  to 
inherit  a  character  for  honesty,  industry,  and  self-reliance 
than  to  inherit  a  fortune  in  money.  The  former  may  grow, 
the  latter  may  go. 

A  former  United  States  judge  began  his  career  as  a 
carpenter,  using  his  spare  time  in  the  study  of  law.  One 
day  he  was  planing  a  board  which  was  to  become  a  part 
of  a  judge's  bench.  A  friend  who  was  observing  his  pains- 
taking effort,  said  to  him:  "Why  do  you  take  so  great 
pains  to  make  it  smooth?" 

"Because  I  want  a  smooth  seat  when  I  come  to  sit  upon 
it,"  was  the  reply.  After  a  number  of  years  of  persistent 
effort  he  came  to  sit  on  that  same  bench. 

Read:  "The  Lark  and  Her  Young  Ones,"  from  Boston 
Collection  of  Kindergarten  Stones. 

Sing:  "Life  is  Real,  Life  is  Earnest,"  from  Uncle 
Sayn's  ScJiool  Songs. 

Birthdays :     Chester  A.  Arthur,  twenty-first  president  of 


OCTOBER  35 

the  United  States,  born  at  Fairfield,  Vt.,  October  5,  1830; 
died  at  New  York  City,  November  18,  1886. 

William  Hamilton  Gibson,  American  author,  artist,  and 
naturalist,  born  at  Sandy  Hook,  Conn.,  October  5,  1850; 
died  in  Washington,  Conn.,  July  16,  1896. 

6    KINDNESS 

Howe'er  it  be,  it  seems  to  me, 

'Tis  only  noble  to  be  good; 
Kind   hearts  are   more   than   coronets 

And  simple  faith  than  Norman  blood. 

— Tennyson 

Read:     Selections  from  Tennyson's  poems. 

Sing:  "Sweet  and  Low,"  from  Songs  Every  One 
Should  Know;  "The  Bugle  Song,"  from  Hanson's  Ge^ns 
of  Song. 

Birthdays:  Alfred  Lord  Tennyson,  a  famous  English 
poet,  born  at  Somersby,  Lincolnshire,  England,  August  6, 
1809 ;  died  at  Aldworth  House,  near  Haslemere,  Surrey, 
England,  October  6,  1892. 

Jenny  Lind,  a  famous  Swedish  singer,  born  in  Stock- 
holm, Sweden,  October  6,  1821 ;  died  November  2,  1887. 

George  Westinghouse,  an  American  inventor  and  manu- 
facturer, born  at  Central  Bridge,  Schoharie  Co.,  N.  Y., 
October  6,  1846 ;  died  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  March  12,  1914. 

7    HEALTH  DAY 

You    hear    that    boy    laughing?      You    think    he's    all    fun, 

But  the  angels  laugh,  too,  at  the  good  he  has  done; 

The  children  laugh  loud  as  they  troop  to  his  call, 

And  the  poor  man  that  knows  him  laughs  loudest  of  all. 

— 0.  W.  Holmes 

A  HEALTH  CREED 

[For  daily  recitation] 

To  BE  well  I  must  keep  my  body,  my  clothes  and  my 
house  clean. 


36  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

I    must    have    plenty    of    fresh    air    and    of    sunshine. 

I  must  eat  good  food  and  chew  it  slowly  and  brush  my 
teeth  often. 

I  should  drink  plenty  of  water. 

I  must  sit  straight  and  stand  straight,  so  as  to  breathe 
deep  and  grow  up  straight  and  strong. 

Early  to  bed  and  a  long  night's  sleep  will  rest  my  mind 
and  body  and  keep  me  from  being  nervous. 

— Alice  C.  Ryan 

Birthday:  Oliver  "Wendell  Holmes,  a  noted  American 
author,  born  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  August  29,  1809;  died 
in  Boston,  Mass.,  October  7,  1894. 

8    GOOD  DEEDS 

The  words  which  thou  hast  uttered, 

Are  of  thy  soul  a  part. 
And   the    good    seed    thou    hast    scattered 

Is  springing  from  the  heart. 

— Whit  tier 

KINDNESS  RETURNED 

One  day  a  lady  who  was  riding  in  a  stagecoach  saw  a  lad 
on  the  road  barefoot  and  seemingly  very  footsore.  She 
asked  the  coachman  to  take  him  up,  and  said  she  would 
pay  for  him.  "When  the  coach  reached  the  end  of  its  jour- 
ney, the  kind  lady  found  that  the  poor  lad  was  bound  for 
the  nearest  seaport,  to  offer  himself  as  a  sailor. 

Twenty  years  afterwards,  on  the  same  road,  a  sea  cap- 
tain, riding  on  a  stagecoach,  saw  an  old  lady  walking 
wearily  along,  and  he  asked  the  coachman  to  pull  up  his 
horses.  He  then  put  the  old  lady  inside  the  coach,  saying, 
"I'll  pay  for  her."  When  they  next  changed  horses,  the 
old  lady  thanked  the  captain,  saying, '  *  I  am  too  poor  to  pay 
for  a  ride  now." 

The  captain  told  her  that  he  always  felt  for  those  who 
had  to  walk,  as  she  had  been  doing,  and  added,  ' '  I  remem- 


OCTOBER  37 

ber,  twenty  years  ago,  near  this  very  place,  I  was  a  poor 
lad  walking  along  the  road,  and  a  kind  lady  paid  for  me 
to  ride." 

" Ah ! "  said  she,  "I  am  that  lady ;  but  things  have 
changed  with  me  since  then." 

"Well,"  said  the  captain,  "I  have  made  a  fortune,  and 
have  come  home  to  enjoy  it.  I  will  allow  you  twenty-five 
pounds  a  year  as  long  as  you  live."  The  old  lady  burst 
into  tears,  as  she  gratefully  accepted  the  sailor's  offer. 

— White's  ScJiool  Management 

Read :  ''The  Knights  and  the  Good  Child,"  from  Bake- 
well's  Time  Fairy  Stories. 

Birthdays:  Rembrandt  [Van  Ryn],  a  famous  Dutch 
painter,  born  in  Leyden,  Netherlands,  July  15,  1607 ;  died 
in  Amsterdam,  Netherlands,  October  8,  1669. 

Edmund  Clarence  Stedman,  an  American  poet  and  critic, 
bom  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  October  8,  1833;  died  at  New 
York  City,  January  18,  1908. 

John  Hay,  an  American  author  and  diplomatist,  bom 
at  Salem,  111.,  October  8,  1839;  died  at  Newburg,  N.  H., 
July  1,  1905. 

9    HAPPINESS 

The  sweetest  bird  builds  near  the  ground, 
The  loveliest  flowers  spring  low. 
And  we  must  stoop  for  happiness 
If  we  its  worth  would  know. 

— Swain 

Read:  "The  Miller  of  the  Dee,"  from  Baldwin's  Fifty 
Famous  Stories. 

Sing:  "Come  with  Thy  Lute,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best 
Primary  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Miguel  de  Cervantes  Saavedra,  a  noted 
Spanish  writer,  born  at  Alcala  de  Henares,  Spain,  October 
9,  1547 ;  died  April  23,  1616,  on  the  same  day  with  Shakes- 
peare.   Author  of  Don  Quixote. 


38  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Guiseppe  Verdi,  an  Italian  writer  of  music,  born  in  the 
duchy  of  Parma,  Italy,  October  9  1814;  died  in  Milan, 
Italy,  January  26,  1901. 

Leonard  Wood,  an  American  soldier,  born  at  Winchester, 
N.  H.,  October  9,  I860;  at  present,  chief  of  staff  of  the 
army,  living  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

Harriet  G.  Hosmer,  an  American  sculptor,  bom  in 
Watertown,  Mass.,  October  9,  1830. 

10    CONSCIENCE 

Do  what  conscience  says  is  right; 

Do  what  reason  says  is  best; 
Do   with   all   your   mind   and   might; 

Do  yoiw  duty  and  be  blest. 

LINCOLN'S  CONSCIENTIOUSNESS 

Abraham  Lincoln  held  the  office  of  postmaster  at  New 
Salem,  Illinois,  for  three  years.  Several  years  later  when 
he  was  a  practicing  lawyer,  an  agent  called  upon  him,  and 
asked  for  a  balance  of  seventeen  dollars  due  the  govern- 
ment. Lincoln  arose  and  opening  a  little  trunk  which  lay 
in  a  corner  of  the  room,  took  out  from  it  a  cotton  rag  in 
which  was  tied  up  the  exact  sum  required.  "I  never  use 
any  man's  money,  but  my  own,"  he  quietly  remarked. 

When  we  consider  the  poverty  of  those  years,  we  can 
appreciate  the  self-denial  that  had  kept  him  from  making 
even  a  temporary  use  of  that  government  money. 

Sing:  "Woodman,  Spare  That  Tree,"  from  Songs 
Every  One  Should  Know. 

Birthdays:  George  P.  Morris,  a  noted  American  song 
writer,  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  October  10,  1802 ;  died  in 
New  York  City,  July  6,  1864.  Author  of  "Woodman, 
Spare  That  Tree,"  "My  Mother's  Bible."  etc. 

Mihaly  Munkacsy,  a  Hungarian  painter,  born  at  Mun- 
kacs,  Himgary.  October  10,  1846;  died  in  Bonn,  Germany, 
May  1,  1900. 


OCTOBER  39 

11    GOOD  MANNERS 

Good  boys  and  girla  should  never  say, 
"I  will,"  and  "Give  me  these." 
Oh,  no,  that  never  is  the  way, 
But  "Mother,  if  you  please." 

THE  DRUM  AND  THE  VASE  OF  SWEET  HERBS 

A  DRUM  was  once  boasting  to  a  vase  of  sweet  herbs  in 
this  way:  "Listen  to  me!  My  voice  is  loud  and  can  be 
heard  far  off.  I  stir  the  hearts  of  men  so  that  when  they 
hear  my  bold  roaring  they  march  out  bravely  to  battle." 

The  vase  spoke  no  words,  but  gave  out  a  fine,  sweet  per- 
fume that  filled  the  air,  and  seemed  to  say:  I  cannot 
speak,  and  it  is  not  well  to  be  proud,  but  I  am  full  of  good 
things  that  are  hidden  within  me,  and  that  gladly  come 
forth  to  give  cheer  and  comfort.  But  you,  you  have  noth- 
ing in  you  but  noise,  and  you  must  be  struck  to  make  you 
give  that  out.     I  would  not  boast  if  I  were  you. 

— ^sop 

Read:  "Please."  by  Alicia  Aspinwall,  in  Caw  You 
Believe  Me  Stories. 

Sing:  "Kind  Words,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary 
Songs. 

12    COLUMBUS  OE  DISCOVERY  DAY 

Endurance  is  the  crowning  quality, 
And  patience  all  the  passion  of  great  hearts. 
— From    "Columbus,"   by   Loicell 

A  LESSON  IN  COURAGE  AND  PERSEVERANCE 

Washington  Irving  in  his  Life  of  CoUtmhus  relates  the 
following  incident,  which  illustrates  but  one  of  the  many 
great  disappointments  of  the  navigator. 

While  Columbus,  his  pilot,  and  several  of  his  experienced 
mariners  were  studying  the  map,  and  endeavoring  to  make 


40  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

out  from  it  their  actual  position,  they  heard  a  shout  from 
the  Pinta,  and  looking  up,  beheld  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon 
mounted  on  the  stern  of  his  vessel  crying,  "Land!  land! 
Senor,  I  claim  my  reward ! ' '  He  pointed  at  the  same  time 
to  the  southwest,  where  there  was  indeed  an  appearance  of 
land  at  about  twenty-five  leagues'  distance. 

Upon  this  Columbus  threw  himself  on  his  knees  and 
returned  thanks  to  God;  and  Martin  Alonzo  repeated  the 
Gloria  in  excelsis,  in  which  he  was  joined  by  his  own  crew 
and  that  of  the  admiral.  The  seamen  now  mounted  to 
the  masthead  or  climbed  about  the  rigging,  straining  their 
eyes  in  the  direction  pointed  out.  The  morning  light,  how- 
ever, put  an  end  to  all  their  hopes,  as  to  a  dream.  The 
fancied  land  proved  to  be  nothing  but  an  evening  cloud, 
and  had  vanished  in  the  night. 

It  is  not  certain,  however,  that  the  disappointments  of 
to-day  will  not  give  place  to  realized  hope  to-morrow. 
Columbus  was  not  discouraged ;  in  fact  nothing  could  turn 
him  back,  and  hope  had  its  final  reward. 

Read:  James  Russell  Lowell's  "Columbus,"  and 
Joaquin  Miller's  "Columbus." 

Sing:     "Columbus,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthdays :  Christopher  Columbus,  the  discoverer  of  the 
New  World,  born  in  or  near  Genoa,  Italy,  about  1446 ;  died 
in  Vallodolid,  Spain,  May  20,  1506. 

Josiah  G.  Holland,  an  American  writer,  born  in  Belcher- 
town,  Mass.,  July  24,  1819 ;  died  in  New  York  City,  October 
12,  1881. 

Dinah  Maria  Mulock  Craik  [Miss  Mulock],  an  English 
writer  of  novels  and  stories,  born  in  Stoke-upon-Trent, 
England,  in  1826;  died  at  Shortlands,  Kent,  England, 
October  12,  1887. 

Special  Days :  Anniversary  of  the  discovery  of  America 
[Columbus  Day].  Arbor  Da^^  in  North  Carolina.  (See 
Arbor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 


OCTOBER  41 

13    OPPORTUNITY 

Do  not   cry  and   weep   for   chances, 

Chances  that  have  passed  away, 
Opportunities  neglected — 

Grasp  the  chance  you  have  to-day. 

— Selected 

Read:    "Day,"  by  Richards,  from  The  Golden  Windoivs. 
Sing:     ''The  Jolly  Workers,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Pri- 
mary Songs. 

14    JUSTICE 

If  those  who've  wronged  us  own  their  faults  and  kindly  pity  pray, 
When  shall  we  listen  and  forgive?     To-day,  my  love,  to-day. 
But  if  stern  justice  urge  rebuke,  and  warmth  from  memory  borrow, 
When  shall  we  chide  if  cliide  we  must?     To-morrow,  love,  to-morrow, 

WILLIAM  PENN  AND  THE  INDIANS 

Some  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  country  bargained  with 
the  Indians  that  for  each  fish-hook  given,  they  were  to  give 
as  much  land  as  a  bullock's  hide  would  cover.  But  the 
settlers  cut  the  hide  into  thin  strips,  and  made  it  cover 
a  large  area.  AVilliam  Penn,  when  he  first  came  to  America, 
to  Pennsylvania,  bargained  with  the  Indians  that  he  would 
give  a  certain  number  of  articles  for  as  much  land  as  a  man 
could  walk  around  in  a  certain  time.  The  man  covered 
so  much  more  land  than  the  Indians  believed  he  would, 
that  they  became  dissatisfied  and  threatening.  But  Penn 
said  to  them,  "You  agreed  to  this  way  of  measuring." 
His  companions  wished  to  force  the  carrying  out  of  this 
argument.  But  Penn  replied  that  that  would  be  wrong 
toward  these  simple  children  of  the  prairie ;  he  asked  them 
what  they  thought  would  be  right,  and  they  simply 
demanded  a  few  more  rolls  of  cloth,  to  which  Penn  agreed. 
Not  only  was  war  averted,  but  the  Indians  were  pleased 


42      MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

with  the  fair  and  just  spirit  shown  by  the  strangers,  and 
became  their  friends.  — Popular  Educator 

Read :     Bible,  Matt.  5 :  38-48. 

Birthday:  William  Penn,  the  founder  of  Pennsylvania, 
born  in  London,  England,  October  14,  1644;  died  at  Rus- 
combe,  Berkshire,  England,  July  30,  1718. 

15    A  SCHOOLEOOM  LESSON 

If  you've  any  task  to  do, 
Let  me  whisper,  friend,  to  you, 
Do  it. 

TURNING  ABOUT 

BY  MARY  J.  MYERS 

Tis  tempting  sore,  there  is  no  doubt, 
While  at  your  desk,  to  turn  about. 
Your  eyes  you  turn,  your  nose  you  point. 
Your  neck  is  sadly  out  of  joint. 

While  turning  round  to  look  behind, 
You  miss  what  is  before,  you'll  find. 
And  what's  before  is  much  worth  while, 
And  looking  forward's  better  style. 

How  very'  strange  it  all  would  be 
If  eyes  were  placed  behind  to  see, 
While  mouth  and  chin  and  also  toes 
Were  pointing  forward  with  your  nose. 

So  forward  turn  and  danger  spare. 
And  of  3'our  eyes  and  neck  take  care. 
Lest  kink  in  neck  or  eye  refrain 
From  ever  turning  straight  again. 

Sing:  "Opening  Song,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School 
Songs. 


OCTOBER  43 

16    WATCH  YOUE  WORDS 

Keep  a  watch  on  your  words,  my  darling, 

For  words  are  wonderful  things; 
They  are  sweet  like  the  bees'  fresh  honey — 

Like  the  bees  they  have  terrible  stings; 
They  can  bless  like  the  warm,  glad  sunshine, 

And  brighten  a  lonely  life, 
They  can  cut,  in  the  strife  of  anger, 

Like  an  open,  two-edged  knife. 

—Mrs.  E.  R.  Miller 

Birthdays:  Noah  Webster,  an  American  author,  born 
in  Hartford.  Conn.,  October  16,  1758;  died  in  New  Haven, 
Conn..  May  28,  1843. 

Horace  E.  Scudder,  an  American  \\Titer,  born  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  October  16,  1838;  died  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  January 
11,  1902. 

17    OBEDIENCE 

He  who  has  learned  to  obey,  will  know  how  to  command. 

— Solon 

A  LESSON  IN  OBEDIENCE 

One  day  General  "Washington,  sending  a  dispatch, 
directed  the  bearer  to  cross  the  river  at  a  certain  ferry, 
and  go  through  the  Ramapo  Pass  to  ]\Iorristown.  The 
young  man,  knowing  that  a  nest  of  traitors  infested  the 
pass,  ventured  to  suggest  to  the  Commander-in-chief  that 
another  road  would  be  safer.  "I  shall  be  taken,"  he  said, 
*'if  I  go  through  the  pass."  "Young  man,  your  duty  is 
not  to  talk,  but  to  obey,"  said  Washington,  sternly.  He 
went  as  directed,  and  near  the  pass  was  captured,  as  he 
was  afraid  of  being,  and  sent  to  New  York,  then  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  The  next  day,  the  dispatches  taken 
from  him,  disclosing  a  plan  of  attacking  the  city,  were 
published  with  great  parade,  and  the  English  immediately 
began  preparations  to  defend  it. 

This  gave  Washington  time  to  plan  and  execute  another 


44      MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

movement  in  quite  a  differenr  direction,  and  by  that  time 
both  the  British  and  the  bearer  found  out  that  the  dispatch 
was  meant  to  be  taken. 

Read:  "Bessie's  Garden,"  from  Whittier's  Child  Life 
in  Prose;  "Casabianca,"  from  Baldwin's  Fifty  Famous 
Stories  Retold;  Bible,  Prov.  3 :  1-7. 

Sing:  "How  Happy  is  the  Child,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best 
Pritnary  Soigs. 

18    PATIEXCE 

One    (lay    at    a    time.      It*s    a    wholesome    rhyme; 
A  good  one  to  live  by,  a  day  at  a  time. 

— Helen  Hunt  Jackson 

Read:  "October's  Bright  Blue  Weather,"  by  Helen 
Hunt  Jackson ;  also  sketch  of  her  life,  from  October  Pri- 
mary  Plan  Book. 

Sing:  "There's  ^lusic  in  the  Air,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Helen  Hunt  Jackson,  an  American  writer, 
born  at  Amherst,  Mass.,  October  18,  1831 ;  died  in  San 
Francisco,  Cal.,  August  12,  1885. 

Thomas  B.  Reed,  an  American  statesman,  born  in  Port- 
land. Me.,  October  18,  1839;  died  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
September  7,  1902. 

19    DEVOTION  TO  DUTY 

Heaven  is  not  reached  at  a  single  bound, 
But  Wf  build  the  ladder  by  whicli  we  rise 
From  tlic  lowly  earth  to  the  vaulted  skies. 

And   we   mount   to    its   summit    round    by    round. 

—Holland 

THE  LITTLE  DROniER  BOY 

Once  while  in  camp  Napoleon  Bonaparte  staj'ed  in  a 
building  with  some  soldiers,  among  whom  he  observed  a 
little  drummer  boy,  not  yet  twelve  years  of  age.     Calling 


OCTOBER 


45 


the  boy  to  him,  the  great  Emperor  asked,  "My  little  man, 
what  are  you  doing  here?" 

**I  belong  to  the  army,  sire,"  replied  the  boy. 

"What  do  you  do  in  the  army?"  asked  Napoleon. 

"I  am  a  drummer,  sire,"  was  the  reply, 

"Fetch  your  drum,"  said  Napoleon.  The  drum  was 
fetched  and  Napoleon  said :  ' '  Sound  the  '  general '  for  me. ' ' 
Promptly  the  "general"  was  sounded  by  the  little  drum- 
mer, and  the  Emperor  exclaimed,  "Good!  now,  beat  the 
'march;'"  and  the  boy  obeyed.  "Now,  sound  the 
'advance,'  "  said  Bonaparte,  and  with  sparklmg  eyes  the 
little  Drummer  sounded  the  "advance"  in  a  firm,  even 
measure.  "Good!"  exclaimed  the  Emperor,  "Now  for  the 
'charge'!"  and  with  eyes  flashing  fire  the  little  soldier 
beat  the  "charge"  till  the  very  rafters  trembled  from  the 
vibrations  of  the  wild,  fierce  notes.  "Bravo!"  cried 
Napoleon,  "noAv  beat  for  me  the  'retreat.'  "  Down  went 
the  sticks.  The  little  fellow  straightened  up  and  with  a 
flush  of  manly  pride,  he  said,  "You  must  excuse  me,  sire, 
I  never  learned  that.  Our  regiment  never  retreated. "  The 
great  commander  excused  him,  and  it  is  said  that  even  on 
St.  Helena  he  often  spoke  of  his  little  drummer  boy  who 
could  not  beat  a  "retreat." 

Birthday:  Edward  Winslow,  governor  of  Plymouth 
colony,  born  at  Droitwich,  Worcestershire,  England,  Octo- 
ber 19,  1595 ;  died  at  sea,  May  8,  1655. 


20    HUMILITY 

:ned 

0    11] 

— Coicper 


Knowledge  is  proud  that  he  has  learned  so  much, 
Wisdom  is  humble  that  he  knows  no  more. 


SELF-PRAISE 

A   MAN   once   walked    along   the    banks   of  the   mighty 
Euphrates  Eiver.     Its  waters  moved  softly  and  silently 


46  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

along.  "Why  do  not  thy  waters  surge  and  roar?"  asked 
the  man.  And  the  river  replied :  "I  need  not  shout  aloud ; 
my  name  is  knowTi  widely  enough.  The  green  meadows 
which  I  water  and  the  lofty  trees  upon  my  banks — these 
tell  who  I  am." 

The  man  came  afterward  to  the  banks  of  the  Tigris 
River.  Its  waves  dashed  along  wildly  and  with  clouds  of 
foam.  "Hello,  how  loud  you  are  shouting!"  said  tbe  man. 
"Ah,"  said  the  river,  "my  shouting  does  not  help  me  at 
all!  I  still  am  not  praised  like  other  streams,  however 
loudly  I  proclaim  that  I  am  something  in  the  world." 

The  man  went  further.  He  saw  trees  with  the  costliest 
and  most  beautiful  fruit.  They  offered  their  fruits  with- 
out a  sound.  ""Why  so  still,  good  trees?"  he  asked.  "Why 
not  rustle  like  your  companions  in  the  wood?"  "We  are 
kno^^•n,"  they  replied,  "by  the  fruit  we  bear,  however 
silent  we  are."  Soon  the  man  came  to  a  wood  whose  trees 
towered  to  the  skies,  and  whose  empty  crests  kept  up  a 
constant  roar.  "Why  do  you  make  such  a  noise?"  he 
asked.  "Ah,"  they  replied,  "we  have  shouted  loud  and 
long,  and  j'et  we  are  not  treated  as  we  deserve." 

"Now  I  know,"  said  the  man,  "who  praises  himself 
amounts  to  nothing.  The  truly  meritorious  require  no  self- 
praise.     That  truth  I  will  not  forget." 

— Jewish   Messenger 

Read:     "The  Fantail  Pigeon,"  from  Poulsson's  In  the 

chiurs  ^yorld. 

Sing:  "Don't  Talk  When  You've  Nothing  to  Say," 
from  American  School  Songs. 

Birthday's:  Henry  Inman.  an  American  painter,  born  in 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  October  20,  1801 ;  died  in  New  York  City, 
January  17,  1846. 

Thomas  Hughes,  an  English  author,  born  in  Ufiington, 
Berkshire,  England,  October  20,  1823;  died  March  22, 
1896. 


OCTOBER  47 

21    MUSIC  IX  ALL  THINGS 

There's  music  in  the  sighing  of  a  reed; 
There's  music  in  the  gushing  of  a  rill; 
There's  music  in  all  things,  if  men  had  ears: 
This  earth  is  but  an  echo  of  the  spheres. 

— Byron 

"AMERICA" 

This  most  popular  and  best  loved  of  all  our  national 
songs  was  written  by  Dr.  Samuel  F.  Smith.  One  of  Dr. 
Smith's  best  friends  was  Lowell  Mason,  the  eminent  musi- 
cian. A  German  friend  had  given  to  ]\Ir.  Mason  a  number 
of  German  music  books.  Being  unable  to  read  German, 
Mr.  Mason  carried  the  books  to  Dr.  Smith  and  asked  him 
to  translate  some  of  the  songs  for  him.  "What  followed  we 
will  let  Dr.  Smith  relate.  He  says:  "Turning  over  the 
leaves  of  one  of  these  books  one  day  in  February,  1832, 
I  came  across  the  air  'God  Save  the  King.'  I  liked  the 
music.  I  glanced  at  the  German  words  at  the  foot  of  the 
page.  Under  the  inspiration  of  the  moment  I  went  to 
work  and  in  half  an  hour  'America'  was  the  result.  It  was 
written  on  a  scrap  of  paper  I  picked  up  from  the  table,  and 
the  hvmn  of  to-day  is  substantially  as  it  was  written  that 
day.'' 

This  hymn  was  first  sung  at  a  children's  Fourth  of  Jul}' 
celebration  in  Park  Street  Church,  Boston.  It  did  not 
have  great  popularity  until  the  Civil  "War.  Since  then  it 
has  become  the  best  kno^Mi  of  any  of  our  national  songs. 

An  incident  in  connection  with  the  singing  of  "Amer- 
ica," on  one  particular  occasion,  may  be  related  here  with 
profit.  Not  many  years  ago  there  was  gathered  in  a  United 
States  consulate  in  a  foreign  land  a  few  score  Americans. 
It  was  the  Fourth  of  July  and  the  little  band  seemed  par- 
ticularly impressed  with  the  significance  of  the  day  and 
the  occasion.  One  member  of  the  party  suggested  that  they 
sing  "America."     He  began  the  song,  all  sang  the  first 


48      MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

stanza,  a  few  sang  the  second,  four  voices  blended  together 
to  the  end  of  the  third,  and  a  single  voice  continued  to  the 
end.  Only  one  person  of  all  those  gathered  together  knew 
his  national  song  to  the  end.    Is  not  this  a  lesson  to  us  ? 

Sing:     "America." 

Birthdays:  Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge,  a  noted  English 
poet,  born  at  Ottery  Saint  Mary.  Devonshire.  England, 
October  21.  1772;  died  in  London.  July  25.  1834. 

Will  Carleton.  an  American  poet,  born  at  Hudson,  Mich., 
October  21,  1845.     Editor  of  Everywhere. 

Samuel  F.  Smith,  an  American  clergyman,  born  in  Bos- 
ton, Mass..  October  21,  1808;  died  in  Boston,  November  16, 
18D5.    Author  of  song  "America." 

22    mUL  SPEAKING 

Boys   flying   kites    haul    in    their    white-winged    birds; 
You  can't  do  that  way  when  you're  flying  words. 
"Careful  with  fire,"  is  good  advice,  we  know; 
"Careful  with  words,"  is  ten  times  doubly  so. 
Thoughts  unexpressed  may  sometimes  fall  back  dead; 
But  God  himself  can't  kiil  them  when  they're  said. 

— Will  Carleton 

THE  SLANDERER 

A  LADY  visited  Sir  Philip  Xeri  on  one  occasion,  accusing 
herself  of  being  a  slanderer. 

"Do  you  frequently  fall  into  this  fault?"  he  inquired. 

"Yes,  very  often,"  replied  the  penitent. 

"My  dear  child,"  said  Philip,  "your  fault  is  great,  but 
the  mercy  of  God  is  greater.  I  now  bid  thee  do  as  follows : 
Go  to  the  nearest  market  and  purchase  a  chicken  just  killed 
and  still  covered  with  feathers ;  then  walk  to  a  certain  dis- 
tance, plucking  the  bird  as  you  go.  Your  walk  finished, 
return  to  me." 

The  woman  did  as  directed  and  returned,  anxious  to 
know  the  meaning  of  so  singular  an  injunction. 


OCTOBER  49 

"You  have  been  verj^  faithful  to  the  first  part  of  my 
orders,"  said  Philip;  "now  do  the  second  part,  and  you 
will  be  cured.  Retrace  your  steps,  pass  through  all  the 
places  you  have  traversed,  and  gather  up  one  by  one  all 
the  feathers  you  have  scattered." 

"But,"  said  the  woman,  "I  cast  the  feathers  carelessly 
away,  and  the  wind  carried  them  in  all  directions." 

"Well,  my  child,"  replied  Philip,  "so  it  is  with  3'our 
words  of  slander.  Like  the  feathers  which  the  wind  has 
scattered,  they  have  been  wafted  in  many  directions :  call 
them  back  now  if  you  can.     Go,  sin  no  more." 

Birthdays :  Franz  Liszt,  a  famous  Hungarian  pianist 
and  composer  of  music,  born  at  Raiding,  October  22,  1811 ; 
died  at  Bayreuth,  Bavaria,  July  31,  1886. 

Sarah  Bernhardt,  a  celebrated  French  actress,  born  in 
Paris,  France,  October  22,  184-4.  (Her  real  name  is  Rosine 
Bernard.) 

23    BEAUTIFUL  THINGS 

Beautiful  faces  are  they  that  wear 
The  light  of  a  pleasant  spirit  there; 
It  matters  little  if  dark  or  fair. 

Beautiful  hands  are  they  that  do 
Deeds  that  are  noble,  good  and  true; 
Busy  with  them  the  long  day  through. 

Beautiful  feet  are  they  that  go 

Swiftly  to  lighten  another's  woe, 

Through  the  summer's  heat  or  winter's  snow. 

Beautiful  children,  if,  rich  or  poor, 
They  walk  the  pathways  sweet  and  pure 
That  lead  to  the  mansion  strong  and  sure. 

—Mrs.  E.  R.  Miller 

Sing:  "Away  with  Melancholy,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthday:      Francis    Hopkinson    Smith,    an    American 


50      MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

author,  painter  and  civil  engineer,  born  in  Baltimore,  Md., 
October  23,  1838 ;  lives  in  New  York  City. 

24    PURPOSE 

I  live  for  those  who  love  me, 

Whose  hearts  arc  fond  and  true. 

For  the  heaven  that  smiles  above  me, 
And  awaits  my  spirit  too: 

For  all  human  ties  that  bind  me, 

For  the  task  by  God  assigned  me. 

For  the  bright  hopes  left  behind  me. 
And  the  good  that  I  can  do. 

— G.  L.  Banks 


THE  TWO  ROADS 

BY  JEAN  PA^L  RICHTER 

It  was  New  Year's  night.  An  aged  man  was  standing 
at  a  window.  He  raised  his  mournful  eyes  toward  the  deep 
blue  sky,  where  the  stars  were  floating,  like  white  lilies,  on 
the  surface  of  a  clear,  calm  lake.  Then  he  cast  them  down 
hopelessly  on  the  earth. 

Already  he  had  passed  sixty  years  of  life,  and  he  had 
brought  from  his  journey  nothing  but  errors  and  remorse. 
His  health  was  destroyed,  his  mind  vacant,  his  heart  sor- 
rowful, and  his  old  age  devoid  of  comfort. 

The  days  of  his  youth  rose  up,  in  a  vision,  before  him, 
and  he  recalled  the  .solemn  moment,  when  his  father  had 
placed  him  at  the  entrance  of  two  roads, — one  leading  into 
a  peaceful,  sunny  land,  covered  with  a  fertile  harvest,  and 
resounding  with  soft,  sweet  songs ;  while  the  other  con- 
ducted the  wanderer  into  a  deep,  dark  cave,  whence  there 
was  no  issue,  where  poison  flowed,  instead  of  water,  and 
where  serpents  hissed  and  crawled. 

He  looked  toward  the  sky,  and  cried  out  in  his  agony: 
"O  youth,  return!  O  my  father,  place  me  once  more  at 
the  entrance  to  life,  that  I  may  choose  the  better  way!" 


OCTOBER  51, 

But  the  days  of  his  youth  and  his  father  had  both  passed 
away. 

Ye  who  still  linger  on  the  threshold  of  life,  doubting 
which  path  to  choose,  remember  that  when  j-ears  are  passed, 
and  your  feet  stumble  on  the  dark  mountain,  you  will 
cry  bitterly,  but  cry  in  vain:  "0  youth  return!  0,  give 
me  hack  my  early  days!"  — Adapted 

25    HONESTY 

Thou  must  be  true  thyself, 
If  thou  the  truth  wouldst  teach; 
Thy  soul  must  overflow,  if  thou 
Another's  soul  wouldst  reach! 
It  needs  the  overflow  of  heart 
To  give  the  lips  full  speech. 

Think  truly,  and  thy  thoughts 

Shall  the  world's  famine  feed; 

Speak  truly,  and  each  word  of  thine 

Shall  be  a  fruitful  seed; 

Live  truly,  and  thy  life  shall  be 

A  great  and  noble  creed. 

— Horatius  Bonar 

Read:  ''The  Honest  "Woodman,"  from  Boston  Collec- 
tion of  Kindergarten  Stories;  Bible,  Prov.  22 :  1 ;  Eccl.  7:  1. 

Sing:  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School 
Songs. 

Birthdays:  Geoffrey  Chaucer,  a  famous  English  poet, 
born  in  London,  England,  about  1328 ;  died  in  London, 
October  25,  1400.    Author  of  the  Canterbury  Tales. 

Thomas  Babington  ]Macaulay,  a  famous  English  historian, 
born  in  Leicestershire,  England,  October  25,  1800 ;  died  at 
Holly  Lodge,  Campden  Hill,  England,  December  28,  1859. 

26    THE  RED  CROSS 

God  be  thanked  that  the  dead  have   left   still 
Good  undone  for  the  living  to  do. 

— Oicen  Meredith 


52  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

THE  STORY  OF  THE  RED  CROSS  FLAG 

On  Christmas  Day,  1822,  Clara  Barton  was  born.  As  a 
child  Miss  Barton  was  painfully  shy  in  the  presence  of 
strangers,  so  her  parents  finally  decided  to  send  her  to 
boarding  school,  thus  hoping  to  overcome  this  sensitiveness. 
Here  her  suffering  w^as  so  acute  that  she  was  finally  brought 
back  home.  What  was  to  be  done  with  her  ?  The  question 
solved  itself.  Her  beloved  brother  David  fell  ill ;  the  baby 
sister  became  his  nurse,  taking  all  the  responsibility  of  his 
care  upon  herself;  for  two  years  she  devoted  herself  to 
him.  She  thus  forgot  herself,  and  in  a  great  measure  con- 
quered the  shyness,  which  had  made  life  a  burden. 

Next  Miss  Barton  was  a  teacher,  and  then  she  became  a 
clerk  in  the  Patent  Office  in  Washington.  Soon  began  to 
be  heard  the  rumblings  of  war,  and  then  the  rumbling 
became  a  mighty  thundering  and  the  Civil  War  was  on.  A 
regiment  from  Clara  Barton's  old  home  in  Massachusetts 
was  passing  through  Washington.  Without  consulting  any- 
one, Clara  Barton  joined  it,  and  so  began  her  labor  of  love 
as  an  army  nurse.  Her  clear  insight,  strong  will,  ability 
to  do  and  direct  work  made  her  invaluable  to  the  regiment. 
She  became  the  natural  leader  in  the  work  of  relief.  For 
four  years  Miss  Barton  followed  the  vicissitudes  of  a  ter- 
rible warfare. 

The  Civil  War  closed,  the  army  was  disbanded,  the 
soldiers  went  home.  Not  so  Clara  Barton;  her  work  was 
not  yet  ended.  Four  additional  years  were  given  to  organ- 
izing and  carrying  on  a  work  of  identifying  the  dead  and 
delivering  the  messages  of  the  dead  and  dying.  Many  a 
mother  had  cause  to  bless  the  name  of  Clara  Barton,  who 
sought  her  out  to  deliver  the  dying  message  of  a  beloved 
son. 

Then  came  the  Franco-Prussian  war.  All  Europe  was 
stirred.  Clara  Barton  was  visited  by  a  band  of  people  who 
were  going  to  the  center  of  the  battle  to  help  care  for  the 


OCTOBER  53 

sufferers.  These  people  were  organized  for  the  work  and 
had  an  organization  behind  them— it  was  the  International 
Red  Cross  of  Geneva.  The  object  in  having  such  an  organ- 
ization was  that  it  should  be  recognized  and  respected  on 
any  battlefield  anywhere.  It  was  called  the  Red  Cross— 
their  emblem  or  flag  was  a  Greek  Cross  in  red  on  a  white 
field.  Thirty-one  governments  had  signed  this  treaty;  the 
United  States  had  not.  Clara  Barton  went  to  Europe,  she 
nursed  the  soldiers  through  the  Franco-Prussian  war.  She 
returned  home.  She  realized  that  wherever  there  was  war 
in  the  future  that  there  the  Red  Cross  must  be  found ;  she 
knew  that  the  Red  Cross  was  a  benefit  to  humanity.  She 
felt  that  the  United  States  must  sign  this  convention. 

She  determined  to  work  to  bring  this  about.  She  sought 
the  officials  at  Washington,  and  told  them  the  benefits  to  be 
derived  from  the  Red  Cross;  she  told  them  its  history  on 
these  European  battlefields ;  she  was  so  earnest  in  her  desire 
to  aid  her  country  that  she  won  her  cause.  In  the  year 
1882  the  United  States  ratified  this  convention,  and  so  we 
secured  the  protection  of  the  Red  Cross.  Clara  Barton  was 
made  the  first  president  of  the  American  National  Red  Cross 
Society.  She  made  an  able  commander.  She  went,  or  sent 
relief  corps  and  provisions  to  the  Johnstown  Flood,  Russian 
Famine,  South  Carolina  Tidal  Wave,  Armenian  Massacre, 
and  the  Spanish- American  war.  Miss  Barton  died  in  1912, 
at  the  age  of  ninety  years. 

Read:  ''The  Red  Cross,"  from  Baldwin's  Americaii 
Book  of  Golden  Deeds;  "St.  Elizabeth  and  the  Sick  Child," 
from  Wiltse's  Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morning  Talks; 
Bible,  Matt.  5:6;  Matt.  20 :  26-27. 

Sing:  "Flow  Gently,  Sweet  Afton,"  from  Hanson's 
Gems  of  Song. 

Special  Day:  Anniversary  of  the  origin  of  the  Red 
Cross  Society;  emblem:  red  cross.  Clara  Barton  was  the 
founder  of  the  Red  Cross  Society  in  America. 


54  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

27    PERSEVERANCE 

It  is  hard  to  fail,  but  it  is  worse  never  to  have  tried 
to  succeed. — Theodore  Roosevelt 

ROBERT  BRUCE  AND  THE  SPIDER 

It  was  the  perseverance  of  the  spider  that  taught  King 
Robert  Bruce  of  Scotland  the  lesson  that  gained  the  victory 
at  Bannockbum,  the  battle  that  made  Scotland  free.  The 
King  was  out  in  a  barn  one  day  reconnoitering  the  army. 
While  there  reclining  on  the  straw  he  saw  a  spider  climb- 
ing up  one  of  the  rafters'.  The  insect  fell,  but  immediately 
made  a  second  attempt.  Again  it  fell,  and  so  on  for  twelve 
times,  but  on  the  thirteenth  attempt  .succeeded.  The  King, 
taking  new  courage  from  the  example  of  the  spider,  rose 
up  and  exclaimed :  ' '  Have  I  not  been  twelve  times 
defeated  by  the  superior  force  of  the  enemy  ?  On  one  fight 
more  hangs  the  independence  of  my  coimtry."  It  was 
only  a  few  days  more  until  he  gained  the  great  victory 
over  Edward  the  third  in  the  battle  of  Bannockbum. 

Read:  "The  Crow  and  the  Pitcher,"  from  Wiltse's 
Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morning  Talks. 

Sing:  "Try,  Try  Again,"  from  Songs  Every  One 
Should  Know. 

Birthdays:  James  Cook,  an  English  navigator,  bom  at 
Marton,  Yorkshire,  England,  October  27,  1728 ;  died  Febru- 
ary 14,  1779. 

Joseph  Emerson  Worcester,  an  American  author,  born 
in  Bedford,  N  H.,  August  24,  1784;  died  in  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  October  27,  1865.  Chiefly  famous  for  his  A  Dic- 
tionary of  the  English  Language. 

Whitelaw  Reid,  an  American  journalist  and  diplomatist, 
born  near  Xenia,  Ohio,  October  27,  1837. 

Theodore  Roosevelt,  twentj'-sixth  president  of  the  United 
States,  born  in  New  York,  October  27,  1858 ;  lives  in  Oyster 
Bay,  Long  Island,  N.  Y. 


OCTOBER  55 

28    BUILDERS 

Little  builders,  build  away! 
Little  builders,  build  to-day! 
Build   a   temple   pure   and   bright, 
Build  it  up  in  deeds  of  light; 
Lay  the  corner  strong  and  deep. 
Where    the    heart    the    truth    shall    keep; 
Lay  it  with  a  builder's  care. 
For  the  temple  resteth  there. 

If  you  want  an  honored  name. 
If  you  want  a  spotless  fame, 
Let  your  words  be  kind  and  pure, 
And  your  temple  shall  endure; 
Wisdom  standeth  at  the  door; 
Come  and  see  her  priceless  store; 
Virtue  gently  guides  your  feet, 
Where  the  good  and  holy  meet. 

— Selected 

Read :    Bible,  Mark  10 :  43-44. 

Sing :  ' '  The  Fountain, ' '  from  Songs  Every  One  Should 
Know. 

Birthday:  Anna  Elizabeth  Dickinson,  an  American  lec- 
turer and  author,  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  October  28, 
1842 ;  lives  in  New  York. 

Special  Day :  Arbor  Day  in  Indiana  (last  Friday  in 
October).    (See  Arbor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 


29    HAPPINESS 

Laugh,  and  the  world  laughs  with  you; 

Weep,  and  you  weep  alone; 
For  this  brave  old  earth  must  borrow  its  mirth; 

It  has  trouble  enough  of  its  own. 

— Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox 

Birthday :  John  Keats,  a  noted  English  poet,  born  in 
London,  England,  October  29,  1795 ;  died  at  Rome,  Italy, 
February  27,  1821. 


56  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

30    INDUSTRY 

How  doth  the  little  busy  bee 

Improve  each  shining  hour, 
And    gather    honey    all    the    day 

From  every  opening  flower? 

— Isaac  Watts 

THE  GRASSHOPPER  AND  THE  BEE 
A  GRASSHOPPER,  cold  and  hungry,  came  to  a  well-stored 
beehive  and  humbly  begged  the  bees  for  a  few  drops  of 

honey. 

One  of  the  bees  asked  him  how  he  had  spent  his  time 
all  the  summer,  and  why  he  had  not  laid  up  a  store  of  food 
for  the  winter. 

"Truly,"  said  he,  "I  spent  my  time  very  merrily  in 
drinking,  and  dancing,  and  singing,  and  never  thought 
about  the  winter." 

"Our  plan  is  very  different,"  said  the  bee.  "We  work 
hard  in  summer,  to  lay  by  a  store  of  food  against  the  season 
when  we  foresee  that  we  shall  need  it;  but  those  who  do 
nothing  but  dance  and '  sing  during  the  summer,  must 
expect  to  starve  in  winter." 

This  fable  teaches  that  if  we  spend  our  time  in  idleness 
we  shall  surely  come  to  want.  Sloth  makes  all  things  diffi- 
cult, but  industry  makes  all  things  easy. 

Read:  "The  Ant  and  the  Cricket,"  from  Baldwin's 
Fairy  Stories  and  Fables;  "The  Beaver  Story,"  from 
Bakewell's  True  Fairy  Stories. 

Sing:  "The  Secret  of  Success,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  John  Adams,  second  president  of  the 
United  States,  born  in  Braintree,  Mass.,  October  30,  1735 ; 
died  at  Quincy,  Mass.,  July  4,  1826,  his  son  then  being  the 
president. 

Adelaide  A.  Proctor,  British  poet,  born  October  30,  1825 ; 
died,  1864. 


OCTOBER  57 

31    HALLOWE'EN 

Up  the  airy  mountain, 

Down  the  rushy  glen, 
We     daren't     go     a-hunting, 

For  fear  of  little  men; 
Wee  folk,  good  folk. 

Trooping  all  together; 
Green  jacket,  red  cap, 

And  white  owl's  feather! 
— Wm.  Allingham 

ALL-HALLOW-EVEN  [HALLOWE'EN] 
The  Eve  of  All  Saints'  Day 

All-hallow-eve  (or  Even)  is  known  in  some  places  as 
Nutcrack  Night,  or  Snapapple  Night.  It  is  now  usually 
celebrated  by  children's  parties,  when  certain  special  games 
are  played.  In  the  country  towns  it  is  also  a  time  of  care- 
less frolic,  and  of  great  bonfires. 

The  custom  of  keeping  the  night  has  come  to  us  from  the 
Celts.  The  early  inhabitants  of  Great  Britain,  Ireland,  and 
parts  of  France  were  kno^vn  as  Celts,  and  their  religion 
was  directed  by  strange  priests  called  Druids.  Three  times 
in  the  year,  on  the  first  of  May,  for  the  sowing;  at  the 
solstice,  June  21st,  for  the  ripening  and  turn  of  the  year ; 
and  on  the  eve  of  November  1st,  for  the  harvesting,  those 
mysterious  priests  of  the  Celts,  the  Druids,  built  fires  on 
the  hill-tops  in  France,  Britain,  and  Ireland  in  honor  of 
the  sun.  This  last  festival  was  made  a  very  solemn  cere- 
mony, the  Druids  of  all  the  region  gathering  in  their  white 
robes  around  the  stone  altar  or  cairn  on  the  hill-top.  On 
the  sacred  cairn — which  was  a  large  mound  of  stones — was 
a  sacred  fire,  which  had  been  kept  burning  through  the 
year.  The  Druids  gathered  around  the  fire,  and,  at  a 
signal,  quenched  it.  Presently  a  new  fire  was  kindled  on 
the  cairn,  and  as  it  gleamed  in  the  darkness,  the  people  in 
the  valley  raised  a  great  shout  and  other  fires  from  sur- 


58  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

rounding  hill-tops  answered  the  sacred  flame.  Then  the 
people  were  satisfied,  for  they  believed  everj'thing  was  safe 
for  another  year. 

When  the  Celts  were  converted  to  the  Christian  religion, 
the  harvest  festival  of  the  Druids  became  in  the  Catholic 
Calendar  the  Eve  of  All  Saints,  for  that  is  the  meaning 
of  the  name  "All-hallow  Eve."  The  custom  of  playing 
pranks  on  Hallowe'en  came  from  the  old  idea  that  this  is 
"witches'  night,"  and  that  all  the  strange  and  wild  powers 
of  the  air  are  abroad  to  do  mischief,  but  just  when  and 
where  the  thought  arose,  no  one  seems  to  know. 

Read:  "Tamlane,"  from  Jacobs'  More  English  Fairy 
Tales. 

Sing:    "The  Broymies,"  from.  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthday :  David  Graham  Phillips,  an  American  author, 
born  in  Madison,  Ind.,  October  31,  1867 ;  died  January  24, 
1911. 

Special  Day :     Hallowe  'en. 


NOVEMBER 


1    TRUST 

The  leaves  are  fading  and  falling, 

The  winds  ai'e  rough  and  wild; 
The   birds   have   ceased   their    calling, 

But  let  me  tell  you,  my  child, 

Though  day  by  day,  as  it  closes, 

Doth  darker  and  colder  grow, 
The  roots  of  the  bright  red  roses 

Will  keep  alive  in  the  snow. 

— Alice  Cary 

Birthday:  Antonio  Canova,  a  famous  Italian  sculptor, 
born  at  Possagno,  Italy,  November  1,  1757 ;  died  in  Venice, 
October  13,  1822. 

2    GENEROSITY 

The  truly  generous  is  the  truly  wise; 
And   he   who    loves    not   others,    lives   unblest. 

-^Horace 

A  WAIF'S  VIEW  OF  WEALTH 

A  LITTLE  street  waif  was  once  at  the  house  of  a  great 
lady,  and  the  childish  eyes  that  had  to  look  so  sharply  after 
daily  bread  were  dazzled  by  signs  of  splendor  on  every 
hand.  "Can  you  get  everything  you  want?"  the  child 
asked  the  mistress  of  the  mansion.  "Yes,  I  think  so,"  was 
the  reply.  "Can  you  buy  anything  you'd  like  to  have?" 
The  lady  answered,  "Yes."  And  the  child,  who  was  of  a 
meditative  turn  of  mind,  looked  at  her  half  pityingly,  and 
said,  wonderingly,  "Don't  you  find  it  dull?"  To  the  little 
keen  mind,  accustomed  to  live  bird-like  from  day  to  day, 


60 


MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 


and  to  rejoice  over  a  little  supply  with  the  delight  born  of 
rarity,  the  aspect  of  continual  plenty,  and  desires  all  grati- 
fied by  possession,  contained  an  idea  of  monotony  that 
seemed  almost  wearisome.  Many  an  o^^^ler  of  a  well-filled 
purse  has  found  life  "dull,"  and  pronounced  in  the  midst 
of  luxury  that  all  things  are  vanity;  but  the  hand  that 
knows  how  wisely  to  distribute  and  scatter  abroad  the 
bounty  possessed  will  never  be  without  interest  in  life — 
will  never  miss  the  sunshine  that  abides  for  kind  and 
unselfish  hearts.  —The  Quiver 

Read:  "The  Elves  and  the  Shoemaker,"  by  Grimm; 
"Doctor  Goldsmith,"  in  Baldwin's  Fifty  Famous  Stories; 
Bible,  Psalm  23. 

Sing:  "Help  to  Set  the  World  Rejoicing,"  from  Uncle 
Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthday:  James  K.  Polk,  eleventh  president  of  the 
United  States,  born  in  Mecklenberg  County,  N.  C,  Novem- 
ber 2,  1795 ;  died  in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  June  15,  1849. 

3    THE  VALUE  OF  THINGS 

Loveliest  of  lovely  things  arc  they 
On  earth  that  soonest  pass  away. 
The  rose  that  lives  its  little  hour 
Is    prized    beyond    the    sculptured    flower. 

— Bryant 

WILLIA]\I  CULLEN  BRYANT 

To-day  is  the  birthday  of  William  Cullen  Brj^ant,  the 
"poet  of  nature."  He  was  bom  in  Cummington,  Mass.  It 
was  soon  discovered  that  the  little  fellow  was  very  preco- 
cious and  the  parents  gave  up  all  hope  of  his  life.  But  his 
father  being  a  phj^sician  of  considerable  .skill,  decided  to 
put  William  through  a  severe  treatment  in  order  to  save 
his  life.     So  each  morning  for  a  long  time,  summer  and 


NOVEMBER  61 

winter,  the  father  took  his  son  down  to  the  spring  behind 
the  barn  and  dipped  him  several  times  in  the  cold  water. 
This  heroic  treatment  perhaps  saved  the  child  and  gave 
to  the  world  one  of  its  best  poets. 

Bryant  wrote  poetry  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  In  his 
thirteenth  year  he  wrote  a  satire  on  President  Jefferson's 
embargo  on  American  shipping  under  the  title  "The  Em- 
bargo; or  Sketches  of  the  Times."  In  his  eighteenth  year, 
his  best  poem,  "Thanatopsis,"  was  written.  Bryant  was 
essentially  a  poet  of  nature,  his  verse  overflowing  with  what 
Wordsworth  terms  "religion  of  the  woods."  After  a  long 
and  useful  life,  he  died  in  the  * '  month  of  roses, ' '  according 
to  a  wish  he  had  often  expressed. 

Read:     Selections  from  Bryant's  poems. 

Sing:  "The  Song  of  Nature,"  from  Hanson's  Gems  of 
So7ig. 

Birthday:  William  Cullen  Bryant,  an  American  poet, 
born  in  Cummington,  Mass.,  November  3,  1794;  died  in 
New  York  City,  June  12,  1878. 

4    PROCRASTINATION 

There  are  no  fragments  so  precious  as  those  of  time, 
and  none  so  heedlessly  lost  by  people  who  can  not  make 
a  moment,  and  yet  can  waste  years. — Montgomery 

Read:  Emerson's  "Days;"  "What  Broke  the  China 
Pitcher,"  from  Howliston's  Cat-Tails  and  Other  Tales; 
Bible,  Eccl.  3  : 1. 

Sing:     "Rock  of  Ages." 

Birthdays:  James  Montgomery,  a  British  poet,  bom  in 
Ayrshire,  Scotland,  November  4,  1771 ;  died  near  Sheffield, 
Scotland,  April  30,  1854. 

Augustus  M.  Toplady,  an  English  clergyman  and  author, 
born  at  Farnham,  Surrey,   England,  November  4,   1740; 


62      MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

died  in  London,  August  11,  1778.    Best  known  as  the  author 
of  the  hymn,  "Rock  of  Ages." 

5    CmC  DUTY 

The  proudest  now  is  but  my  peer. 

The  highest  not  more  high; 
To-day  of  all  the  weary  year 

A  king  of  men  am  I. 

To-day  alike  are  great  and  small. 

The  nameless  and  the  known; 
My  palace  is  the  people's  hall, 

The  ballot-box  my  throne! 

—Whit  tier 

Special  Day :  Election  or  Voting  Day  (the  first  Tuesday 
after  the  first  Monday  in  November).  This  day  is  now  a 
holiday,  so  that  every  man  may  have  an  opportunity  to  east 
his  vote.  What  are  the  duties  of  a  voter  in  a  self-governing 
country  ? 

1.  To  vote  whenever  it  is  his  privilege. 

2.  To  try   to  understand  the   questions   upon   which   he   votes. 

3.  To  learn  something  about  tlie  characttr  and  fitness  of  the 
men  for  whom  he  votes. 

4.  To  vote  only  for  honest  men   for  ofRce. 

5.  To  support  only  honest  measures. 

6.  To  give  no  bribe,  direct  or  indirect,  and  to  receive  no  bribe 
direct  or  indirect. 

7.  To  place  country  above  party. 

8.  To  recognize  the  result  of  the  election  as  the  will  of  the 
people  and  therefore  as  the  law. 

9.  To  continue  to  vote  for  a  righteous  although  defeated  cause 
as  long  as  there  is  reasonable  hope  of  victory. — /S'.  tJ.  Furman 

6    LOYALTY  TO  OUR  COUNTRY 

Ye  who  love  the  Republic,  remember  the  claim 
Ye  owe  to  her  fortune,  ye  owe  to  her  fame. 
To  her  years  of  prosperity,   past   and   in   store, 
The  hundreds  behind  you,  the  thousands  before. 

— Hezekiah   Fiuttcricorth 


NOVEMBER 

THE  FLAG  GOES  BY 

BY  HENRY  H.  BENNETT 

Hats  off! 
Along  the  street  there  comes 
A  blare  of  bugles,  a  ruffle  of  drums, 
A  flash  of  color  beneath  the  sky. 

Hats  off! 
The  flag  is  passing  by. 

Blue  and  crimson  and  white  it  shines 
Over  the  steel-tipped,  ordered  lines. 

Hats  off! 
The  colors  before  us  fly; 
But  more  than  the  flag  is  passing  by. 

Sea-fights   and   land-fights,   grim   and   great, 
Fought  to  make  and  save  the  state ; 
Weary  marches  and  sinking  ships; 
Cheers  of  victory  on  dying  lips; 

Days  of  plenty  and  years  of  peace ; 
March  of  a  strong  land 's  swift  increase ; 
Equal  justice,  right  and  law; 
Stately  honor  and  reverent  awe, 

Sign  of  a  nation,  great  and  strong 

To  ward  her  people  from  foreign  wrong, 

Pride  and  glory  and  honor,  all 

Live  in  the  colors  to  stand  or  fall. 

Hats  off! 
Along  the  street  there  comes 
A  blare  of  bugles,  a  ruffle  of  drums, 
And  loyal  hearts  are  beating  hiffh. 

Hats  off! 
The  flag  is  passing  by! 


63 


64  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Sing:  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner;"  play  selections 
from  Paderewski. 

Birthdays:  Kate  Greenaway,  an  English  artist  noted 
for  her  pictures  of  children  and  of  child  life,  born  in  Lon- 
don, England,  in  1846;  died  at  London,  November  6,  1901. 

Ignace  Jan  Paderewski,  a  Russian  pianist,  born  in 
Podolie,  Russian  Poland,  November  6,  1860. 

7    AMBITION 

The  height  of  my  ambition  is  only  to  find  my  place, 
though  it  were  but  a  sweeper  of  chimneys. 

— Charles   Kingsley 

Read:  "Don't  Give  Up"  and  "Suppose,"  by  Phoebe 
Gary;  "The  Two  Foolish  Birds,"  from  Baldwin's  Fairy 
Stories  and  Fables. 

8    NOBLE   CONDUCT 

He    prayeth    well,    who    loveth    well 
Both  man  and  bird  and  beast. 
He  prayeth  best  wlio  loveth  best 
All  things  both  great  and  small, 
For  the  dear  God  who  loveth  us — 
He  made  and  loveth  all. 

— From  "Ancient  Mariner"  by  Coleridge 

HOW  BABY  ROBIN  WAS  SAVED 

Mother  Robin  had  built  her  nest  in  the  eaves  of  one 
of  the  very  nicest  apartment  houses  in  Chicago.  One  day 
Father  Robin  had  some  business  to  attend  away  from  home, 
so  that  Mother  Robin  was  forced  to  go  out  into  the  world 
in  search  of  food  and  to  leave  Master  Robin  alone  in  his 
eerie  nursery. 

And  sure  enough  the  baby  got  into  mischief.  He  wiggled 
his  wings,  and  zip !  down  he  plunged  toward  the  street.  He 
hit  the  pavement  square  in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  busiest 
motoring  corners,     A  chauffeur  stopped  his  big  machine 


NOVEMBER  65 

abruptly.     Other  machines  behind  him  halted,  and  soon  a 
half  hundred  motor  cars  were  tangled  at  the  corner. 

Policemen  came  and  tried  to  remove  the  cause  of  the  con- 
gestion, but  baby  robin  had  just  enough  strength  left  in 
his  wings  to  dodge.  A  policeman  then  called  a  small  boy 
to  his  aid.  That  settled  Master  Robin's  holiday.  The  boy 
nabbed  him  in  a  twinkling,  and  soon  the  little  robin  was 
back  in  his  nest. 

9    THOROUGHNESS 

Work  while  you  work,  play  while  you  play; 
This  is  the  way  to  be  cheerful  and  gay. 
All  that  you  do,  do  with  your  might; 
Things  done  by  halves  are  never  done  right. 

One  thing  each  time,  and  that  done  well, 
Is  a  very  good  rule,  as  many  can  tell; 
Moments  are  useless,  trifled  away; 
So  work  while  you  work,  and  play  while  you  play. 

— Miss  A.  D.  Stoddart 

10    TRUE  WORTH 

Four  things  a  man  must  learn  to  do, 
If  he  would  make  his  calling  true, — 
To  think  without  confusion  clearlj', 
To  love  his  fellow-men  sincerely. 
To  act  from  honest  motives  purely, 
To  trust  in  God  and  heaven  securely. 
— Henry  Van  Dyke 

TWO  MEN  OF  WORTH 

In  Switzerland,  many  years  ago,  a  man  called  Frank 
went  to  his  neighbor,  William,  who  was  working  in  his 
field,  and  said :  ' '  Friend,  I  have  received  word  that  we  are 
to  go  before  the  judges  to-morrow,  who  will  decide  our 
dispute  about  the  field,  since  we  cannot  agree  ourselves." 

"You  see,"  said  William,  "that  I  have  mown  this  field 
and  must  get  my  hay  in;  I  cannot  leave  it." 

"Well,"  said  Frank,  "I  cannot  send  the  judges  away." 

They  discussed  the  matter  for  some  time.     At  length 


66  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

William  said:  "I  will  tell  you  how  it  shall  be:  you  go  to 
the  judges  and  tell  them  your  case  and  mine;  then  there 
will  be  no  need  for  me  to  go." 

"Well,"  said  the  other,  "if  you  will  trust  your  cause 
with  me,  I  will  do  so." 

He  accordingly  went,  pleaded  the  case,  and  lost.  Return- 
ing to  his  neighbor,  he  said:  "The  field  is  yours.  I  con- 
gratulate you,  neighbor.     I  am  glad  the  affair  is  over." 

The  two  men  were  firm  friends  ever  after. 

Read:  "The  Farmer  and  His  Sons,"  and  "The  Quar- 
rel," from  Baldwin's  Fairy  Stories  and  Fables. 

Sing:  "Morning  Song,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary 
Songs. 

Birthdays:  Martin  Luther,  the  leader  of  the  Reforma- 
tion in  Germany,  born  at  Eisleben,  Germany,  November  10, 
1483;  died  at  Eisleben,  February  18.  1546. 

Oliver  Goldsmith,  a  famous  English  author,  born  in  Pal- 
lasmore,  Ireland,  November  10,  1728 ;  died  in  London,  Eng- 
land, April  4,  1774. 

Johann  Christoph  Friedrieh  von  Schiller,  a  famous  Ger- 
man poet,  born  at  Marbach,  Wiirtemberg,  November  10, 
1759 ;  died  at  Weimar,  May  9,  1805. 

Joaquin  Miller,  the  pen-name  of  Cincinnatus  Heine  Mil- 
ler, an  American  author,  born  in  Wabash  District,  Indiana, 
November  10,  1841. 

Henry  Van  Dyke,  an  American  clerg>'man  and  author, 
born  at  Germantown,  Pa.,  November  10.  1852;  lives  in 
Princeton,  N.  J. 

Winston  Churchill,  an  American  novelist,  born  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  November  10,  1871 ;  living  at  Cornish,  N.  H. 

11    HUMILITY 

For   praise   too   dearly    loved,    or    warmly    sought, 
Enfeebles  all  internal  strength  of  thought; 
And  the  weak  soul  within  itself  unblest. 
Leans  for  all  pleasure  on  another's  breast. 

— Ooldsmith 


NOVEMBER  67 

STOOP  AS  YOU  GO  THROUGH 

Benjamin  Franklin,  the  son  of  a  tallow-chandler,  the 
printer's  apprentice,  the  printer,  the  philosopher,  and  the 
patriot,  wrote  the  following  incident  of  his  visit,  when  a 
young  man,  to  the  celebrated  Cotton  Mather,  a  clergyman 
of  New  England.  The  letter  was  written  to  Cotton  Mather's 
son. 

"The  last  time  I  saw  your  father  was  in  the  beginning 
of  1724,  when  I  visited  him  after  my  first  trip  to  Penn- 
sylvania. He  received  me  in  the  library,  and,  on  my  taking 
leave,  showed  me  a  shorter  way  out  of  his  house,  through 
a  narrow  passage,  which  was  crossed  by  a  beam  overhead. 
We  were  still  talking  as  I  withdrew,  he  accompanying  be- 
hind, and  I  turning  partly  toward  him,  when  he  said  hastily, 
'  Stoop,  stoop ! '  I  did  not  understand  him  till  I  felt  my 
head  hit  against  the  beam.  He  was  a  man  that  never  missed 
any  occasion  of  giving  instiniction ;  and,  upon  this,  he  said, 
'You  are  3'oung,  and  have  the  world  before  you.  Stoop  as 
you  go  through  it,  and  you  will  miss  many  hard  thumps.' 
This  advice,  thus  beat  into  my  head,  has  frequentl}^  been  of 
use  to  me ;  and  I  often  think  of  it  when  I  see  pride  morti- 
fied, and  misfortunes  brought  upon  people  by  carrying  their 
heads  too  high. ' '    Before  honor  is  humility. 

Birthday:  Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich,  an  American  poet 
and  novelist,  born  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  November  11,  1836; 
died  in  Boston,  Mass.,  March  19,  1907. 

12    FORGIVENESS 

He  that  cannot  forgive  others,  breaks  the  bridge  over 
■which  he  must  pass  himself;  for  every  man  has  need  to 
be  forgiven. — Lord  Herbert 

A  QUARREL  SOON  ENDED 

Two  dogs  began  to  quarrel  over  a  bone  that  had  been 
thrown  to  one  of  them.     They  were  fighting  on  a  bridge 


68  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

and  before  they  knew  it,  both  had  fallen  into  the  water. 
One  of  thera  was  a  Newfoundland  dog,  and  swam  easily 
to  shore,  but  when  he  looked  for  his  enemy  he  saw  him  still 
struggling  in  the  water.  This  dog  could  not  swim,  and  he 
was  about  to  drown,  when  the  Newfoundland  dog  plunged 
in  and  brought  him  safely  to  shore.  They  forgave  each 
other  then  and  became  great  friends. 

Read:  "The  Sympathy  of  Abraham  Lincoln"  and  "A 
Hero  of  Valley  Forge,"  from  Baldwin's  An  American 
Book  of  Golden  Deeds;  Bible,  Matt.  5 :  7-9  and  43-48. 

Sing:    "Good  Advice,"  from  Merry  Melodies. 

13    HAPPINESS 

Happy  hearts  and  happy  faces, 
Happy  play  in  grassy  places — 
That  was  how,  in  ancient  ages, 
Children    grew    to    kings    and    sages. 
— Robert  Louis  Stevenson 

PRAYER  AT  MORNING 

BY  ROBERT  LOUIS  STEVENSON 

The  day  returns  and  brings  us  the  petty  round  of  irritat- 
ing concerns  and  duties.  Help  us  to  perform  them  with 
laughter  and  kind  faces,  let  cheerfulness  abound  with 
industry.  Give  us  to  go  blithely  on  our  business  all  this 
day,  bring  us  to  our  resting  beds  weary  and  content  and 
undishonored,  and  grant  us  in  the  end  the  gift  of  sleep. 

Read:  Selections  from  Stevenson's  A  Child's  Garden  of 
Verses. 

Sing:    Selections  from  Bohert  Louis  Stevenson  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Joseph  Hooker,  an  American  general,  born 
in  Hadley,  Mass.,  November  13,  1814 ;  died  at  Garden  City, 
N.  Y.,  October  31,  1879. 

Edwin  Thomas  Booth,  a  noted  American  tragic  actor, 


NOVEMBER  69 

born  at  Bel  Air,  Md.,  November  13,  1833;  died  June  7, 
1893.  (John  Wilkes  Booth  (1839-1865),  a  younger  brother, 
was  the  assassin  of  President  Lincoln.) 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  a  noted  Scottish  novelist  and 
story  writer,  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  November  13, 
1850;  died  at  Apia,  Samoa,  December  3,  1894. 

14    SELF-CONTKOL 

How   happy  is  he  born  or  taught, 
Whose  passions  not  his  master  are; 
Lord  of  himself,  though  not  of  lands, 
And  having  nothing,  yet  hath  all ! 

— Sir  Henry  Wotton 

THE  ECHO 

Little  Peter  had  never  heard  of  the  Echo  which  lives 
among  the  woods  and  rocks,  and  repeats  the  very  words 
we  speak.  One  day  while  walking  in  a  field  near  a  wood, 
he  saw  a  squirrel  running  among  the  bushes.  "Ho!  Stop 
there ! "  he  cried.  Something  in  the  woods  answered  him 
back,  * '  Ho !  Stop  there  ! ' '  Astonished,  Peter  shouted  out, 
' '  "Who  are  you  1 ' '  The  word  came  back, ' '  Who  are  you  ? ' ' — 
"You  are  a  fool,"  he  answered.  "You  are  a  fool,"  was 
echoed  back  loud  and  clear  from  the  wood.  Peter  grew 
angry,  for  he  thought  some  saucy  boy  was  hidden  behind 
the  trees.  Then  he  poured  out  all  the  hard  ugly  names 
he  could  think  of,  but  the  Echo  sent  them  all  back  to  him 
in  mocking  tones. 

"He  shall  learn  not  to  call  me  names,"  he  said  to 
himself,  as  he  picked  up  a  stick  and  ran  toward  the  wood. 
Peter  wandered  in  the  wood  a  long  time,  but  found  no 
one.  Tired  and  vexed,  he  went  home  and  complained  to 
his  mother  that  a  naughty  boy,  who  had  been  calling  him 
names,  was  hiding  in  the  wood. 

"You  have  been  angry  with  your  own  self,"  said  his 


70  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

mother.  "It  was  only  your  own  voice  that  made  the  sound, 
and  you  heard  only  the  echo  of  your  own  words.  If  you 
had  spoken  kind  words,  kind  words  would  have  come  back 
to  you  from  the  wood. ' ' 

— White's  School  Management 


15    SERVICE 

Not  what  we  give,  but  what  we  share, 

For  the  gift  without  the  giver  is  bare; 

Who   gives   himself   with    his    alms   feeds   three, — 

Himself,  his  hungering  neighbor,  and  me. 

— Lowell 

Birthdays :  William  Pitt,  first  earl  of  Chatham,  an  Eng- 
lish statesman,  bom  Novembcx*  15,  1708;  died  at  Hayes, 
Kent,  England,  May  11,  1778. 

Sir  William  Herschel,  a  noted  English  astronomer,  born 
in  Hanover,  Prussia,  November  15,  1738;  died  at  his  home 
at  Slough,  near  Windsor,  England,  August  23,  1822. 

16    TRUTH 

Dare  to  be  true;   nothing  can  need  a  lie. 
A  fault  which  needs  it  most  grows  two  thereby. 

— George  Herbert 

THE  PRICE  OF  A  LIE 

If  we  are  under  no  moral  obligation  to  fulfill  a  promise 
made  to  do  a  wrong,  there  can  be  no  dishonor  in  refusing 
its  performance.  Dishonor  belongs  to  those  who  persist  in 
doing  wrong  after  they  have  discovered  the  right. 

"AVould  you  tell  a  lie  for  three  cents?"  asked  a  teacher 
of  one  of  her  boys.  "No,  ma'am,"  answered  Dick,  very 
promptly.  "For  ten  cents?"  "No,  ma'am."  "For  a 
dollar  ? "  "No,  ma  'am. "  "  For  a  hundred  dollars  ? "  "No, 
ma'am.''    "For  a  thousand  dollars?" 


NOVEMBER  71 

Here  Dick  was  staggered.  A  thousand  dollars  looked  like 
such  a  very  big  sum.  Oh!  what  lots  of  things  he  could 
buy  with  a  thousand  dollars.  While  he  was  thinking  about 
it,  and  trying  to  make  up  his  mind  whether  it  would  pay 
to  tell  a  lie  for  a  thousand  dollars,  a  boy  behind  him  cried 
out:     "No,  ma'am."     "Why  not?"  asked  the  teacher. 

Now,  mark  this  boy 's  answer,  and  do  not  forget  it.  ' '  Be- 
cause, ma'am,"  said  he,  "the  lie  sticks.  When  the  thou- 
sand dollars  are  all  gone,  and  the  good  things  bought  with 
them  are  all  gone,  too,  the  lie  is  there  all  the  same." 

And  when  we  tell  a  lie  we  never  can  tell  where  the  injury 
that  springs  from  it  will  stop.  It  is  just  like  loosening  a 
great  rock  at  the  top  of  a  mountain  and  letting  it  go  rolling 
and  plunging  down  the  side  of  the  mountain.  Nobody  can 
tell  how  far  it  will  go,  nor  how  much  injury  it  will  do 
before  it  stops  rolling. 

Bead:  "Little  Scotch  Granite,"  from  White's  School 
Management. 

17    HUMILITY 

The  very  flowers  that  bend  and  meet, 
In    sweetening    others    grow    more    sweet. 

— Holmes 

18    JUSTICE 

Be  just  and  fear  not; 
Let  all  the  ends  thou  aim'st  at  be  thy  country's, 
Thy  God's,  and  truth's. 

— Shakespeare 

Read:  "The  Bell  of  Atri,"  from  Baldwin's  Fifty 
Famous  Stories  Retold. 

Birthdays:  Asa  Gray,  an  American  botanist,  born  in 
Paris,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  November  18,  1810;  died  at 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  January  30,  1888. 

William  S.  Gilbert,  an  English  dramatist,  born  in  London, 
England,  November  18,  1836;  drowned  at  Harrow,  Eng- 
land, May  29,  1911. 


72  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

19    WISDOM 

Next 'in  importance  to  freedom  and  justice  is  popu- 
lar education,  without  which  neither  justice  nor  free- 
dom can  be  permanently  maintained. — James  A.  Garfield 

THE  CAREFUL  OBSERVER 

BY  COLTON 

A  DERVISH  was  journeying  alone  in  a  desert,  when  two 
merchants  suddenly  met  him.  "You  have  lost  a  camel," 
said  he  to  the  merchants.    "Indeed  we  have,"  they  replied. 

"Was  he  not  blind  in  his  right  eye,  and  lame  in  his  left 
leg?"  said  the  dervish.  "He  was,"  replied  the  merchants. 
"Had  he  not  lost  a  front  tooth?"  "He  had,"  said  the 
merchants.  "And  was  he  not  loaded  with  honey  on  one 
side,  and  with  corn  on  the  other?"  "Most  certainly  he 
was,"  they  replied;  "and,  as  you  have  seen  him  so  lately, 
and  marked  him  so  particularly,  you  can,  in  all  probability, 
conduct  us  to  him. ' ' 

"My  friends,"  said  the  dervish,  "I  have  never  seen 
your  camel,  nor  ever  heard  of  him,  but  from  you!"  "A 
pretty  story,  truly,"  said  the  merchants;  "but  where  are 
the  jewels  which  formed  a  part  of  his  burden ? "  "I  have 
seen  neither  your  camel  nor  your  jewels,"  repeated  the 
dervish. 

On  this,  they  seized  his  person,  and  forthwith  hurried 
him  before  the  cadi ;  but,  on  the  strictest  search,  nothing 
could  be  found  upon  him,  nor  could  any  evidence  whatever 
be  adduced  to  convict  him  either  of  falsehood  or  of  theft. 

They  were  about  to  proceed  against  him  as  a  sorcerer, 
when  the  dervish,  with  great  calmness,  thus  addressed  the 
court :  "I  have  been  much  amused  Avith  your  surprise,  and 
own  that  there  has  been  some  ground  for  your  suspicions; 
but  I  have  lived  long  and  alone,  and  I  can  find  ample 
scope  for  observation  even  in  a  desert. 

"I  knew  that  I  had  crossed  the  track  of  a  camel  that 
had  strayed  from  its  owner,  because  I  saw  no  mark  of  any 


NOVEMBER  73 

human  footstep  on  the  same  route.  I  kneAv  that  the  animal 
was  blind  of  one  eye,  because  it  had  cropped  the  herbage 
only  on  one  side  of  its  path;  and  that  it  was  lame  in  one 
leg,  from  the  faint  impression  which  that  particular  foot 
had  produced  upon  the  sand. 

"I  concluded  that  the  animal  had  lost  one  tooth,  because, 
wherever  it  had  grazed,  a  small  tuft  of  herbage  had  been 
left  uninjured  in  the  center  of  its  bite.  As  to  that  which 
formed  the  burden  of  the  beast,  the  busy  ants  informed 
me  that  it  was  corn  on  the  one  side;  and  the  clustering 
flies,  that  it  was  honey  on  the  other." 

Birthdays:  Albert  Bertel  Thorwaldsen,  a  Danish  sculp- 
tor, bom  at  sea,  November  19,  1770;  died  in  Copenhagen, 
Denmark,  March  24,  1844. 

James  A.  Garfield,  an  American  general  and  statesman, 
and  twentieth  president  of  the  United  States,  born  in 
Orange,  Ohio,  November  19,  1831;  shot  by  an  assassin  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  July  2,  1881. 


20    MOTHER 

Hundreds  of  stars  in  the  silent  sky, 
Hundreds  of  shells  on  the  shore  together. 
Hundreds  of  birds  that  go  singing  by, 
Hundreds  of  bees  in  the  sunny  weather; 
Hundreds  of  dewdrops  to  greet  the  dawn, 
Hundreds  of  lambs  in  the  purple  clover, 
Hundreds  of  butterflies  on  the  lawn — 
But  only  one  mother  the  wide  world  over. 

Birthday:  Peregrine  White,  the  first  child  of  English 
parents  born  in  New  England,  born  on  the  Mayflower, 
November  20,  1620;  he  died  July  20,  1704. 


21    PATRIOTISM 

He  who  serves  his  country  well  has  no  need  of  an- 
cestors.— Voltaire 


74  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Eead:  "William  Tell,"  from  Baldwin's  Fifty  Famous 
Stories  Betold;  "Lexington,"  by  Holmes. 

Sing:    "America." 

Birthday:  Francois  Marie  Arouet  de  Voltaire,  a  famous 
French  writer,  born  in  Paris,  France,  November  21,  1694 ; 
died  in  Paris,  May  30,  1778. 

22    PATIENCE 

It  is  easy  finding  reasons  why  other  folks  should  be 
patient. — George  Eliot 

PEGGING  AWAY  DID  IT 

A  FRIEND  once  said  to  President  Lincoln:  "Do  you 
expect  to  end  this  war  during  your  administration?"  Mr. 
Lincoln  replied:  "I  do  not  know,  sir."  "But  Mr.  Lin- 
coln, what  do  you  mean  to  do?"  "Peg  away,  sir;  peg 
away,  keep  pegging  away ! ' '    Pegging  away  did  it. 

Read:  "Wait  and  See,"  from  Poulsson's  In  the  Child's 
World.  "The  Little  Rooster,"  from  Boston  Collection  of 
Kindergarten  Stories. 

Birthday :  Robert  Cavelier  de  La  Salle,  a  noted  French 
navigator,  born  in  Rouen,  France,  November  22,  1643;  shot 
when  near  a  branch  of  the  Trinity  River  in  Texas,  March 
19,  1687. 

Philip  Schuyler,  an  American  general,  born  at  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  November  22,  1733;  died  at  Albany,  November  18, 
1804. 

George  Eliot,  the  assumed  name  of  I\Iary  Ann  Evans,  a 
famous  English  writer  of  novels,  born  at  Arbury  Farm, 
Derbyshire,  England,  November  22,  1819;  died  December 
22,  1880. 

23    HONOR 

Honor  and  shame  from  no  condition  rise, 
Act  well  your  part,  there  all  the  honor  lies. 

— Pope 


NOVEMBER  75 

Birthday:  Franklin  Pierce,  the  fourteenth  president 
of  the  United  States,  born  in  Hillsborough,  N.  H.,  November 
23,  1804 ;  died  in  Concord,  Mass.,  October  8,  1869. 

Special  Days:  Arbor  Day  in  South  Carolina  (third  Fri- 
day in  November). 

Arbor  Day  in  West  Virginia  (third  Friday  in  November 
and  April).     (See  Arbor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

24    HEROISM 

Heroism  is  simple,  and  yet  it  is  rare.     Every  one  who 
does  the  best  he  can  is  a  hero. — Josh  Billings 

GRACE  DARLING 

To-day  is  the  birthday  of  Grace  Darling,  an  English  girl, 
who  did  so  brave  a  deed  that  her  name  is  known  wherever 
the  English  language  is  spoken.  The  desolute  Fame 
Islands  lie  off  the  northeast  coast  of  Northumberland — a 
group  of  stern  basaltic  rocks,  black  and  bare,  with  a  dan- 
gerous sea  roaring  about  them.  In  stormy  weather  they 
are  inaccessible  for  days  and  weeks  together.  They  have 
no  other  inhabitants  but  the  gulls  and  puffins  that  scream 
about  the  rocks.  But  on  the  farthest  point,  the  Longstone 
Rock,  a  lighthouse  had  been  erected  to  warn  off  the  ships 
passing  between  England  and  Scotland.  Two  old  persons — 
a  man  and  his  wife — and  a  young  woman,  their  daughter — 
Grace  Darling — were  the  keepers  of  the  lighthouse. 

One  night  in  September,  1838,  a  steamer  was  wrecked 
near  the  lighthouse,  and  in  the  morning  Grace  saw  some 
people  clinging  to  the  rocks  or  to  the  fragments  of  the 
vessel.  The  fog  was  so  heavy  and  the  sea  so  rough  that 
Mr.  Darling  was  afraid  to  go  to  the  rescue,  but  Grace  per- 
suaded him  to  launch  a  boat.  Then  followed  the  greatest 
struggle  of  their  lives.  The  wind  beat  against  them,  the 
waves  dashed  over  them,  but  they  cared  not  for  all  this. 

When  they  reached  the  wrecked  vessel,  only  nine  of  the 
sixty-three  unfortunate  beings  were  alive.    These  they  took 


76  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

into  their  boat  and  started  on  the  return  trip.  The  rescued 
men  were  so  weak  with  cold  and  hunger  and  thirst  that  not 
one  was  able  to  use  an  oar,  and  it  Avas  only  after  a  terrible 
struggle  that  Grace  and  her  father  were  able  to  reach  their 
lighthouse  home.  There  the  mother  was  ready  to  receive 
them,  to  nurse  them,  to  feed  them,  and  to  restore  them  to 
health  and  strength.  They  remained  there  for  three  days, 
imtil  the  storm  abated,  and  they  could  be  carried  to  the 
mainland.  For  this  brave  act  a  subscription  of  i700 
($3,500)  was  raised  for  Grace  Darling,  and  she  received 
many  other  valuable  presents.  When  she  died  her  friends 
placed  a  marble  monument  over  her  grave. 

Eead :    "Wordsworth 's  ' '  Grace  Darling. ' ' 

Birthday's:  Zachary  Taylor,  general  and  twelfth  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  born  in  Orange  Coimty,  Va., 
November  24,  1784;  died  in  Washington,  D,  C,  July  9, 
1850. 

Grace  Darling,  an  English  heroine,  born  at  Bamborough, 
Northumberland,  November  24,  1815;  died  October  20, 
1842. 

Frances  Hodgson  Burnett,  an  American  novelist,  born 
in  Manchester,  England,  November  24,  1849 ;  living  in 
Washington,  D.  C.  Best  known  to  young  folks  by  her 
beautiful  story  called  Little  Lord  Fauntleroy. 

25    HONESTY 

He  that  cannot  tliink  is  a  fool; 
He  that  will  not  think  is  a  bigot; 
He  that  dare  not  is  a  slave. 

— Carnegie 

THE  STORY  OF  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

There  was  once  a  yoimg  Scotch  boy,  the  son  of  a  weaver. 
He  was  born  poor,  in  a  story-and-a-half  house.  He  came 
to  this  country  with  the  rest  of  his  father's  family  when 


NOVEMBER  77 

he  was  ten,  and  commenced  on  a  job  that  paid  him  20  cents 
a  day. 

Faithful  work  as  a  bobbin  boy  soon  procured  him  a  posi- 
tion that  earned  him  almost  a  dollar  a  day.  His  attentive- 
ness  to  what  was  given  him  to  do  brought  him  after  a  little 
while  to  the  attention  of  a  railroad  man  who  was  a  large 
employer  of  help. 

He  had  in  the  meantime  been  economizing  his  small 
earnings,  out  of  which  it  was  suggested  to  him  that  he 
take  a  little  stock  in  a  car  company.  He  hadn't  enough 
money  and  no  security  to  offer,  but  resolved  to  apply  to  the 
bank  for  a  loan. 

What  happened  when  he  went  to  the  bank  is  what  I 
want  the  boys  particularly  to  notice,  for  it  really  marks  the 
crisis  in  the  young  fellow's  life  and  explains  what  followed 
during  the  years  after. 

I  just  said  that  in  asking  for  a  loan  he  had  nothing  that 
he  could  offer  as  security;  that  is,  he  owned  nothing  that 
he  could  make  over  to  the  bank  in  case  he  failed  to  return 
the  loan.  Security  of  the  ordinary  kind  he  did  not  have, 
but  he  had  something  that  was  just  as  satisfactory  to  the 
banker,  for  he  had  a  character  for  honesty,  faithfulness 
and  perseverance,  and  the  banker  said  to  him:  "You  shall 
have  the  money,  Andy." 

That  $600  was  the  turning  point  in  Andrew  Carnegie's 
life  and  was  the  nest-egg  that  in  course  of  time  filled  the 
nest  with  so  many  eggs  that  it  would  take  a  string  of  figures 
to  count  them. — Adapted  from  Dr.  Charles  H.  Parkhurst 

Sing:  "You  Never  Miss  the  Water,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays :  John  Bigelow,  an  American  editor  and  dip- 
lomatist, born  in  Maiden,  Ulster  County,  N.  Y.,  November 
25,  1817 ;  died  December  19,  1911. 

Andrew  Carnegie,  an  American  capitalist  and  philan- 
thropist, born  in  Dunfermline,  Scotland,  November  25, 
1835. 


78  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

26    THANKSGIVING 

And  we,  to-day,  amidst  our  flowers 

And  fruits,  have  come  to  own  again 
The  blessings  of  the  summer  hours. 

The  early  and  the  latter  rain; 
To  see  our  Father's  hand  once  more 

Reverse  for  us  the  plenteous  horn 
Of  autumn,  filled  and  running  o'er 

With    fruit,   and   flower,    and   golden    corn! 

— Whittier 

Read:  "The  Landing  of  the  Pilgrims,"  by  Felicia 
Hemans;  ''The  First  Thanksgiving  Day,"  from  Wiggiu 
and  Smith's  The  Story  Hour;  "How  Patty  Gave  Thanks." 
from  Poulsson's  In  the  Child's  Viorld;  "The  Story  of  the 
First  Corn,"  from  Bailey  and  Lewis'  For  the  Children's 
Hour;  Bible,  Psalm  100.  For  Thanksgiving  selections,  pro- 
cure a  copy  of  Sindelar's  Thanksgiving  Entertainments. 

Sing :  ' '  Thanksgiving  Day ' '  and  ' '  Thanksgiving  Joys, ' ' 
from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthday :  William  Cowper,  a  noted  English  poet,  born 
in  Hertfordshire,  England,  November  26,  1731 ;  died  at 
East  Dereham,  Norfolk,  England,  April  25,  1800. 

Special  Day:  Thanksgiving  Day  (last  Thursday  in 
November) . 


27    THANKSGIVING 

[Continued] 

Over    the    river    and    through    the    wood 

To  grandfather's  house  we'll  go; 

The  horse  knows  the  way 

To  carry  the  sleigh 

Through  the  white  and  drifted  snow. 

Over  the  river  and  through  the  wood. 

Trot  fast,  my  dapple  gray! 

Spring  over  the  ground 

Like  a  hunting  hound! 

For  this  is  Thanksgiving  Day. 

— Selected 


NOVEMBER  79 

28    FRIENDSHIP 

When  you  find  one  good  and  true, 
Change   not  the  old   friend  for  the  new. 

Birthday:  Anton  Rubinstein,  a  famous  Russian  pianist 
and  composer,  born  in  Volhynia,  Russia,  November  28, 
1829 ;  died  at  Peterhof,  Russia,  November  20,  1894. 

29  FAITHFULNESS 

Faithfulness  in  little  things  fits  one  for  heroism  when 
the  great  trials  come. — Louisa  May  Alcott 

Read :    Selections  from  the  Louisa  Alcott  Reader. 

Birthdays :  Wendell  Phillips,  a  noted  American  orator, 
born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  November  29,  1811 ;  died  in  Boston, 
February  2,  1884. 

Louisa  May  Alcott,  an  American  author,  born  in  German- 
town,  Pa.,  November  29,  1832 ;  died  in  Concord,  Mass., 
March  6,  1888. 

30  PEESEVEEANCE 

My  son,  observe  the  postage  stamp!  Its  usefulness 
depends  upon  its  ability  to  stick  to  one  thing  until  it 
gets  there. — Josh  Billings 

THE  LAYING  OF  THE  TELEGRAPH-CABLE 

Cyrus  W.  Field  became  a  clerk  in  New  York  when 
fifteen  years  old,  and  in  a  few  years  was  at  the  head  of  a 
large  mercantile  house.  When  he  got  rich  he  gave  up 
his  business,  and  devoted  himself  to  a  plan  for  the  laying 
of  a  telegraphic  cable  under  the  ocean  between  Europe  and 
America.  The  first  two  attempts  were  disappointments; 
the  third  time  was  successful,  and  several  messages  were 
flashed  across.  Everj^body  rejoiced,  but  in  a  little  while 
the  messages  stopped,  the  cable  ceased  working,  and  people 
began  to  say  that  it  never  could  be  laid.    Field  alone  kept 


80  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

up  a  brave  heart.  Seven  years  passed  by,  and  the  Great 
Eastern  steamed  off  with  a  new  cable;  but  soon  the  ill 
tidings  came  that  by  a  sudden  lurch  of  the  ship  the  cable 
was  broken  in  mid-ocean.  After  this  people  lost  all  patience 
with  Field's  plans,  but  with  the  resolved  will  of  a  hero, 
he  succeeded  in  1866  in  uniting  the  two  hemispheres,  amid 
the  rejoicings  and  congratulations  of  the  world.  He  accom- 
plished his  purpose  because  he  would  not  give  up.  Wlien 
the  cable  was  laid,  Mr.  Field  said  of  his  trials:  "It  has 
been  a  long  and  hard  struggle  to  lay  the  Atlantic  telegraph 
— nearly  thirteen  years  of  anxious  watching  and  ceaseless 
toil.  Often  has  my  heart  been  ready  to  sink.  I  have  some- 
times almost  accused  myself  of  madness  for  sacrificing  all 
my  home  comforts  for  what  might,  after  all,  prove  a  dream. 
I  have  seen  my  companions  one  after  another  fall  by  my 
side,  and  feared  that  I,  too,  might  not  live  to  see  the  end. 
I  have  often  prayed  that  I  might  not  taste  of  death  till  this 
work  was  accomplished.     That  prayer  is  now  answered." 

Sing:  "Work,  for  the  Night  is  Coming"  or  "Life  is 
Real,  Life  is  Earnest,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Jonathan  Swift,  a  British  writer,  born  in 
Dublin,  Ireland,  November  30,  1667,  of  English  ancestry; 
died  October  19,  1735.    Author  of  Gulliver's  Travels. 

Cyrus  W.  Field,  an  American  merchant,  famous  for 
laying  the  telegraph-cable  between  Europe  and  America, 
born  in  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  November  30,  1819 ;  died  July 
11,  1892. 

Mark  Twain,  the  pen-name  of  Samuel  Langhorne 
Clemens,  a  noted  American  author  and  humorist,  born  at 
Florida,  Mo.,  November  30,  1835 ;  died  at  his  summer  home 
in  Reading  Ridge,  Conn.,  April  21,  1910. 


DECEMBER 


1    FLATTERY 

Flattery  is  like  a  painted  armor;   only  for  show. 

— Socrates 


FLATTERERS  AND  SLANDERERS 

The  response  of  Diogenes,  the  ancient  Greek  philosopher, 
to  the  question,  "What  beast's  bite  is  the  most  dangerous?" 
was  "If  you  mean  wild  beasts,  the  slanderer's;  if  tame 
ones,  the  flatterer's." 

Birthday:  Clarke  Mills,  an  American  sculptor,  born  in 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  December  1,  1815;  died  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  January  12,  1883. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Georgia  (first  Friday  in 
December).     (See  Arbor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

2    PURPOSE 

But  whatever  you  are,  be  true,  boys! 
Be  visible  through  and   through,  boys! 
Leave  to  others  the  shamming, 
The  cheating  and  palming, 
In  fun  and  in  earnest,  be  true,  boys! 

— Mackay 

"WHAT  SHALL  I  DO?" 

*  *  What  shall  I  do  ? "    My  boy,  don 't  stand  asking ; 

Take  hold  of  something — whatever  you  can; 
Don't  turn  aside  for  the  toiling  or  tasking;  j 

Idle,  soft  hands  never  yet  made  a  man.  .^s' 


82  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Grasp  with  a  will  whatever  needs  doing ; 

Still  stand  ready,  when  one  work  is  done, 
Another  to  seize,  then  still  pursuing 

In  duty  your  course,  find  the  victory  won. 

Do  your  best  for  to-day,  trust  God  for  to-morrow ; 

Don 't  be  afraid  of  a  jest  or  a  sneer ; 
Be  cheerful  and  hopeful,  and  no  trouble  borrow ; 

Keep  the  heart  true,  and  the  head  cool  and  clear. 

If  you  can  climb  to  the  top  without  falling, 

Do  it.    If  not,  go  as  high  as  you  can. 
Man  is  not  honored  by  business  or  calling; 

Business  and  calling  are  honored  by  man. 

— Selected 

Sing:  "Good  Resolutions,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School 
Songs. 

Birthdays:  Hernando  Cortes,  the  conqueror  of  Mexico, 
born  in  Medellin,  Spain,  in  1485 ;  died  near  Seville,  Spain, 
December  2,  1547. 

Richard  Montgomery,  an  American  general,  bom  near 
Raphoe,  Ireland,  December  2,  1736;  killed  by  a  cannon- 
ball,  December  31,  1775. 

3    TRUE  WORTH 

True   worth    is    in    being,    not    seeming, — 

In  doing  each  day  tliat  goes  by 
Some  little  good — not  in  the  dreaming 

Of  great  things  to  do  by  and  by. 
For  whatever  men  say  in  blindness, 

And  spite  of  the  fancies  of  youth, 
There's  nothing  so  kingly  as  kindness, 

And  nothing  so  royal  as  truth. 

— Alice  Gary 

ROBERT  BURNS  AND  THE  FARMER 

Robert  Burns  was  once  taken  to  task  by  a  young  Edin- 
burgh nobleman,  with  whom  he  was  walking,  for  recog- 


DECEMBER  g3 

nizing  an  honest  farmer  in  the  street.  "Why,  you  fantastic 
gomeral ! ' '  exclaimed  Bums,  *  *  it  was  not  the  great  coat,  the 
scone  bonnet,  and  the  saunders-boot  hose  that  I  spoke  to, 
but  the  man  that  was  in  them ;  and  the  man,  sir,  for  true 
worth,  would  weigh  down  you  and  me,  and  ten  more  such, 
any  day." 

Read:  "The  Magnet's  Choice,"  from  Howliston's  Cat- 
Tails  and  Other  Tales;  "Naughty  Little  Gold  Finger," 
from  Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten  Stories,  Bible, 
Prov.  22 :  1-2. 

Sing:  "The  Fountain,"  from  Songs  Every  One  Should 
Know. 

Birthdays:  Mary  Baker  Glover  Eddy,  the  founder  of 
Christian  Science,  born  at  Bow,  N.  H.,  July  16,  1821; 
died  December  3,  1910. 

George  B.  McClellan,  an  American  general,  born  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  December  3,  1826;  died  at  Orange,  N. 
J.,  October  29,  1885. 

4  WORK 

There  is  always  hope  in  a  man  that  actually  and 
earnestly  works.  In  idleness  alone  is  there  perpetual 
despair. — Carlyle 

Birthday:  Thomas  Carlyle,  an  English  author,  born  in 
Ecclefechan,  Scotland,  December  4,  1795 ;  died  in  Chelsea, 
London,  England,  February  5,  1881. 

5  YOUTH 

My  boy,  I'd  give  the  world,  if  it  were  mine, 

To  backward  turn  the  dial  of  time 

And  be  a  boy  again,  with  heart  like  thine; 

To  quaff  again  the  cup,  care  free — 

To  play  the  pranks  that  thou  dost  play  on  me, 

And  laugh  the  laugh  the  boyhood's  sportive  glee; 

To  chase  each  gold-winged  butterfly  I  meet, 

To  feel  the  green  grass  kiss  my  sun-browned  feet. 

To  look  on  life  as  but  a  poem  sweet. 


84      MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Be  not  too  swift  to  run  thy  boyish  race — 

Too   soon   will   come   the   time,   though   slow   the   pace, 

When  care  will  mark  its  furrows  on  thy  face. 

Youth  comes  but  once;  we  may  not  change  the  plan; 

Enjoy  these  days — the  only  ones  that  can 

Reward  the  sufferings  of  the  grown-up   man. 

— A.  E.  Jackson 

Sing:  "Follow  Me,  Full  of  Glee,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best 
Primary  Songs. 

Birthday :  Martin  Van  Buren,  eighth  president  of  the 
United  States,  born  at  Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  December  5, 
1782 ;  died  at  Kinderhook.  July  24.  1862. 

George  A.  Custer,  an  American  soldier,  born  at  New 
Rumley,  Ohio,  December  5,  1839;  killed  while  in  command 
of  an  expedition  against  the  Sioux  Indians,  June  25,  1876. 

6    USEFULNESS 

No   one    is    useless    in    this   world   who   lightens    the 
burden  of  another. — Dickens 

LITTLE  THINGS 

BY  EBENEZER  C.   BREWER 

Little  drops  of  water. 

Little  grains  of  sand, 
Make  the  mighty  ocean. 

And  the  pleasant  land. 

Thus  the  little  minutes 

Humble  though  they  be, 
Make  the  mighty  ages 

Of  eternity. 

7    UNKIND  WORDS 

Oh,  many  a  shaft  at  random  sent 
Finds  mark  the  archer  little  meant, 
And  many  a  word  at  random  spoken 
May  soothe,  or  wound  a  heart  that's  broken. 

—Scott 


DECEMBER  85 

A  DINNER  OF  TONGUES 

^sop  was  the  servant  of  a  philosopher  named  Xanthus. 
One  day  his  master  being  desirous  of  entertaining  some  of 
his  friends  to  dinner,  he  ordered  him  to  provide  the  best 
things  he  could  find  in  the  market,  ^sop  thereupon  made 
a  large  provision  of  tongues,  which  he  had  the  cook  serve 
up  with  different  sauces.  When  dinner  came,  all  the 
courses  and  side  dishes  were  of  tongues. 

"Did  I  not  order  you,"  said  Xanthus,  in  a  violent 
passion,  "to  buy  the  best  victuals  which  the  market 
afforded?" 

"And  have  I  not  obeyed  your  orders?"  said  ^Esop.  "Is 
there  anything  better  than  tongues?  Is  not  the  tongue  the 
bond  of  civil  society,  the  key  of  science,  and  the  organ  of 
truth  and  reason?  It  is  by  means  of  the  tongue  cities  are 
built,  and  governments  established  and  administered;  with 
it  men  instruct,  persuade,  and  preside  in  assemblies." 

"Well,  then,"  replied  Xanthus,  "go  to  market  to-morrow 
and  buy  me  the  ivorst  things  you  can  find.  This  same 
company  shall  dine  with  me,  and  I  have  a  mind  to  change 
my  entertainment." 

When  Xanthus  assembled  his  friends  the  next  day,  he 
was  astonished  to  find  that  ^sop  had  provided  nothing 
but  the  very  same  dishes. 

"Did  I  not  tell  you,"  said  Xanthus,  "to  purchase  the 
ivorst  things  for  this  day's  feast?  How  comes  it,  then, 
that  you  have  placed  before  us  the  same  kind  of  food, 
which  only  yesterday,  you  declared  to  be  the  very  best?" 

i^sop,  not  at  all  abashed,  replied:  "The  tongue  is  the 
worst  thing  in  the  world  as  well  as  the  best;  for  it  is  the 
instrument  of  all  strife  and  contention,  the  fomenter  of 
law-suits,  the  source  of  division  and  war,  the  organ  of  error, 
of  calumny,  of  falsehood,  and  even  of  profanity." 

Read:  "The  Fairy  Who  Judged  Her  Neighbors,"  from 
Ingelow's  Three  Fairy  Stories. 


86      MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

8    PERSEVERANCE 

If  little  labor,  little  are  our  gains; 
Man's    fortunes    are    according    to    his    pains. 

— Herrick 

ELI  WHITNEY  AND  THE  COTTON-GIN 

Eli  Whitney  when  a  boy  earned  his  living  by  making 
nails  by  hand.  By  careful  economy  he  was  enabled  to 
pay  his  way  through  Yale  College,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  1792.  He  then  went  to  Georgia  to  become  a  tutor,  but 
found  the  expected  place  filled,  and  accordingly  sought  em- 
ployment on  the  plantation  of  the  widow  of  General 
Nathaniel  Greene,  near  Savannah.  There  he  developed 
much  inventive  talent,  and  at  ]Mrs.  Greene's  suggestion 
undertook  to  devise  a  machine  which  would  do  the  work 
of  cleaning  cotton  and  separating  it  from  the  seed.  He 
devoted  a  winter  to  the  task,  and  the  result  was  the 
machine  which  he  called  the  cotton-gin.  This  machine 
would  do  in  a  few  days  the  work  which  it  formerly  took 
a  hundred  men  many  weeks  to  do.  When  the  machine  was 
perfected,  in  1793,  he  showed  it  to  nobody  but  ]Mrs.  Greene 
and  one  other  person,  but  it  soon  became  talked  about,  the 
building  which  contained  it  was  broken  open  at  night  and 
the  model  was  stolen.  Before  he  could  make  another  and 
get  a  patent  upon  it,  several  of  the  machines  were  at  work 
on  neighboring  plantations.  This  theft  compelled  him  to 
resort  to  many  law-suits  in  a  vain  effort  to  protect  his 
rights.  The  net  result  was  that  Mr.  Whitney  never  received 
any  fair  return  for  one  of  the  greatest  inventions  of  the 
age  and  one  which  did  more  for  the  Southern  States  than 
any  other.  Thus  robbed  by  his  beneficiaries.  Mr.  Whitney 
returned  to  New  England  in  1798.  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  firearms,  in  which  he  was  veiy  successful. 

Birthdays :  Eli  Whitney,  inventor  of  the  cotton-gin,  born 
in  Westborough.  Mass.,  December  8,  1765;  died  in  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  January  8,  1825. 


DECEMBER  87 

George  Alfred  Henty,  an  English  writer  of  novels  and 
stories  for  young  folks,  born  at  Trumpington,  near  Cam- 
bridge, England,  December  8,  1832 ;  died  November  16, 
1902. 

Bjornstjerne  Bjoruson,  a  famous  Norwegian  dramatist 
and  novelist,  born  at  Koikne,  Osterdalen,  Norway,  Decem- 
ber 8,  1832 ;  died  in  Paris,  France,  April  26,  1910. 

Joel  Chandler  Harris,  an  American  writer,  bom  at 
Eatonton,  Ga.,  December  8,  1848;  died  in  Atlanta,  Ga,, 
July  3,  1908. 

9    COURAGE 

Mortals,  that  would  follow  me. 
Love  Virtue;  she  alone  is  free; 
She  can  teach  you  how  to  climb, 
Higher  than  the  sphery  chime; 
Or,  if  Virtue  feeble  were, 
Heaven  itself  would  stoop  to  her. 
— From   "Co7nus"   by   John   Milton 

JOHN  MILTON,  THE  BLIND  POET 

The  life  of  John  Milton  stands  as  a  monument  of  cour- 
age and  inspiration,  and  teaches  us  a  valuable  lesson.  For 
six  years  bKndness  had  been  coming  upon  Milton,  and  the 
year  of  1660  saw  him  deprived  of  sight,  and  with  no  sup- 
port for  himself  or  family.  Then  he  wrote  his  greatest 
work,  the  sublime  poem  of  "Paradise  Lost."  His  ** Par- 
adise Regained ' '  was  written  four  years  later. 

Read:  Extracts  from  Helen  Keller's  Story  of  My  Life, 
or  tell  the  story  to  the  children;  also  read  her  book.  The 
World  I  Live  In. 

Sing:  "Merrily,  Merrily  Sing,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best 
Primary  Songs. 

Birthday:  John  Milton,  a  famous  English  poet,  born  in 
London,  England,  December  9,  1608 ;  died  Nov.  8,  1674. 


gg  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

10    HOME  AND  PAEENTS 

The  boys   that   are   wanted    are   loving    boys, 
Fond    of    home    and    father    and    mother. 

Counting   the    old-fashioned    household    joys 
Dearer  and  sweeter  than  any  other. 

The    girls    that   are   wanted    are    home    girls, 

Girls  that  are  mother's  right  hand, 
That    fathers    and    brothers    can    trust    too. 

And  the  little  ones  understand. 

Birthday :  Edward  Eggleston,  an  American  author,  bom 
at  Vevay,  Ind.,  December  10,  1837;  died  at  Joshua's  Rock, 
Lake  George,  N.  Y.,  September  2,  1902.  Author  of  The 
Hoosier  Schoolmaster,  The  Hoosier  Schoolboy,  etc. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Mississippi.  (See  Arbor 
Day,  Api:'il  21  and  22,  this  book.) 

11    GOOD  DEEDS 

You    cannot    dream    yourself    into    a    character,   you 
must  forge  one. — Carter 

WHICH  LOVED  BEST 

BY    JOY    ALLISON 

"I  LOVE  you,  mother,"  said  little  John; 
Then  forgetting  his  work,  his  cap  went  on, 
And  he  was  off  to  the  garden  swing, 
Leaving  his  mother  the  wood  to  bring. 

"I  love  you,  mother,"  said  little  Nell, 
"I  love  you  better  than  tongue  can  tell." 
Then  she  teased  and  pouted  half  the  day, 
Till  mother  rejoiced  when  she  went  to  play. 

"I  love  you,  mother,"  said  little  Fan, 
"To-day  I'll  help  you  all  I  can." 
To  the  cradle  then  she  did  softly  creep, 
And  rocked  the  baby  till  it  fell  asleep. 


DECEMBER  89 

Then  stepping  softlj-  she  took  the  broom 
And  swept  the  floor  and  dusted  the  room. 
Busy  and  happy  all  day  was  she, 
Helpful  and  cheerful  as  child  could  be. 

"I  love  you,  mother,"  again  they  said, 
Three  little  children  going  to  bed. 
How  do  you  think  the  mother  guessed 
Which  of  them  really  loved  her  best  ? 

Birthday:  Sir  David  Brewster,  a  famous  British  phi- 
losopher and  scholar,  born  at  Jedburgh,  Scotland  Decem- 
ber 11, 1781 ;  died  February  10,  1868. 

12    AMIABILITY 

It's  easy  enough  to  be  pleasant, 
When   life   flows  along   like   a   song; 
But  the  man  •worth  while 
Is  the  one  who  can  smile 
When  eveiything  goes  dead  wrong. 
—Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox 

Birthdays :  John  Jay,  the  first  chief  justice  of  the  United 
States,  born  in  New  York  City,  December  12,  1745 ;  died  at 
Bedford,  N.  Y.,  May  17,  1829. 

John  R.  Green,  a  noted  English  historian,  born  at  Oxford, 
England,  December  12,  1837;  died  at  Mentone,  France, 
March  7,  1883. 

13     SUCCESS 

Set  yourself  earnestly  to  see  what  you  were  made 
to  do,  and  then   set  yourself   earnestly   to   do   it. 

— Phillips  Brooks 

THE  ONE  ROAD 

There  is  but  one  straight  road  to  success, ' '  says  Bourke 
Cochran,  the  well-known  orator,  "and  that  is  merit.  Capac- 
ity never  lacks  opportunity.  It  cannot  remain  undiscovered 
because  it  is  sought  by  too  many  anxious  to  utilize  it.    A 


90  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAK 

capable  man  on  earth  is  more  valuable  than  any  precious 
deposit  under  the  earth,  and  is  the  object  of  a  more  vigilant 
search. ' ' 

Birthdays:  Phillips  Brooks,  a  bishop  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  and  a  noted  pulpit  orator  and  poet,  born  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  December  13,  1835;  died  in  Boston,  January  23, 
1893. 

Samuel  Smiles,  a  Scottish  writer,  born  at  Haddington, 
Scotland,  December  13,  1812;  died  in  England,  April  17, 
1904. 

14    CHEERFULNESS 

Be  still,  sad  heart!   and  cease  repining; 
Behind   the   clouds    is    the    sun    still    shining; 
Thy  fate  is  the  commor   fate  of  all, 
Into  each   life   some  rain   must   fall, 

Some  daj'3  must  be  dark  and  dreary. 

— From  ''The  Rainy  Day"  by  Longfellow 

Read:  "The  Desert,"  from  Richards'  The  Golden  Win- 
dows; "The  Miller  of  the  Dee,"  from  Baldwin's  Fifty 
Famous  Stories  Retold. 

Sing:    "Music  Everv'where, "  from  Merry  Melodies. 

Birthday :  Noah  Porter,  an  American  writer  and  scholar, 
president  of  Yale  College,  born  in  Farmington,  Conn.,  De- 
cember 14,  1811 ;  died  March  4,  1892.  Dr.  Porter  was  chief 
editor  of  Webster's  International  Dictionary. 

15    SERVICE 

Men    and    things    are    only    valuable    as    they    are 
serviceable. 

SOMEBODY 

Somebody  did  a  golden  deed ; 
Somebody  proved  a  friend  in  need; 
Somebody  sang  a  beautiful  song ; 
Somebody'  smiled  the  whole  day  long; 


DECEMBER  9I 

Somebody  thought,    "  'Tis    sweet    to    live"; 
Somebody  said,  "I'm  glad  to  give"; 
Somebody  fought  a  valiant  fight; 
Somebody  lived  to  shield  the  right; 
Was  that  "Somebody"  you? 

Read :  ' '  Home  "  and  "  The  Wheatfield, ' '  from  Richards ' 
The  Golden  Windows;  Bible,  Matt.  7:12  and  Matt.  5:7. 

Sing:  "The  World  is  What  We  Make  It,"  from  School 
Song  Knapsack. 

Birthday:  Alexandre  Gustave  Eiffel,  a  noted  French 
engineer  and  builder  of  the  Eiffel  Tower  for  the  Paris  ex- 
hibition of  1889,  born  at  Dijon,  France,  December  15,  1832. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Arkansas.  (See  Arhor  Day, 
April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

16    TRUE  NOBILITY 

We    want   no   kings    but   kings    of   toil — 

No  crowns  but  crowns  of  deeds; 
Not  royal  birth  but  sterling  worth 

Must  mark  the  man  who  leads. 

— Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox 

PROOFS  OF  NOBILITY 

Beethoven  [birthday  December  17],  the  great  musician 
and  composer,  who,  in  his  majestic  stateliness,  is  likened  to 
the  poet  Milton,  was  asked  to  produce  proofs  of  his  nobility. 
Turning  at  once  to  the  king,  for  the  incident  occurred  at 
court,  the  democratic  nobleman  replied  by  pointing  to  his 
head  and  his  heart,  saying,  ' '  My  nobility  is  here  and  here. ' ' 

17    WHITTIER'S  BIRTHDAY 

The  riches  of  the  Commonwealth 

Are  free,  strong  minds,  and  hearts  of  health; 

And  more  to  her  than  gold  or  grain. 

The   cunning   hand   and   cultured   brain. 

— Whit  tier 


92  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Read  or  tell:  The  story  of  TVhittier's  boyhood,  life,  and 
work;  read  the  chapters  on  Quaker  life  in  Uncle  Tom's 
Cabin;  "Whittier,"  from  Cody's  Four  American  Poets; 
"The  Boyhood  of  John  Greenleaf  Whittier,"  from  Our 
Holidays:  Retold  from  St.  Nicholas.  From  his  poems: 
"The  Barefoot  Boy,"  " Snow-Boimd, "  etc. 

Read:  "Sir  Humphry  Davy's  Greatest  Discovery, 
Michael  Faraday,"  from  Harden 's  Stories  from  Life. 

Sing:     "Whittier,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthdays:  Ludwig  van  Beethoven,  a  famous  musician, 
born  in  Bonn,  Germany,  December  17, 1770 ;  died  in  Vienna, 
Austria,  March  26,  1827. 

Sir  Humphry  Davy,  a  celebrated  English  chemist,  born 
in  Penzance,  Cornwall,  England,  December  17,  1778 ;  died 
in  Geneva,  Switzerland,  May  29,  1829. 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier,  the  "Quaker  poet,"  born  in 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  December  17,  1807;  died  at  Hampton 
Falls,  N.  H.,  September  7,  1892. 

18    CONTENTMENT 

Over  my  shaded  doorway. 

Two   little   brown-winged   birda 
Have  chosen  to  fashion  their  dwelling 

And  utter  their  loving  words. 
All  day  they  are  coming  and  going 

On  errands  frequent  and  fleet, 
And   warbling   over   and   over, 

Sweet,  sweet,  sweet,  O,  sweet! 

— Selected 

THE  KING  STORK 

There  were  once  some  frogs  which  lived  in  a  beautiful 
lake.  They  thought  that  they  would  be  perfectly  happy  if 
they  only  had  a  king.  A  stork  was  sent  to  rule  over  them. 
The  frogs  went  out  to  meet  him  gladly.  The  stork  put 
forth  his  head,  took  up  a  frog  and  swallowed  him.  Then 
the  frogs  were  very  sorry  that  they  had  asked  for  a  king. 


DECEMBER  93 

Every  day  the  stork  king  did  the  same  thing  until  all  the 
poor  frogs  had  disappeared. 

Birthday :  Lyman  Abbott,  a  Congregational  clergyman, 
author,  and  journalist,  son  of  Jacob  Abbott,  born  at  Rox- 
bury,  Mass.,  December  18,  1835.    Editor  of  The  Outlook. 


19    MANNERS 

Do  you  wish   the   world  were   better? 

Let  me  tell  you  what  to  do. 
Set  a  watch  upon  your  actions, 

Keep  them  always  straight  and  true. 
Rid  your   mind  of  selfish  motives, 

Let  your  thoughts  be  clean  and  high. 
You  can  make  a  little  Eden, 

Of  the  sphere  you  occupy. 

A  SERIES  OF  DON'TS 

Don't  slight  a  boy  because  his  home  is  plain  and  un- 
pretending.   Abraham  Lincoln's  home  was  a  log  cabin. 

Don 't  slight  a  boy  because  of  the  ignorance  of  his  parents. 
Shakespeare,  the  world's  poet,  was  the  son  of  a  man  who 
was  unable  to  write  his  own  name. 

Don't  slight  a  boy  because  he  chooses  an  humble  trade. 
The  author  of  Pilgrim's  Progress  was  a  tinker. 

Don 't  slight  a  boy  because  of  physical  disability.  Milton 
was  blind. 

Don't  slight  a  boy  because  of  dullness  in  his  lessons. 
Hogarth,  the  celebrated  painter  and  engraver,  was  a  stupid 
boy  at  his  books. 

Don 't  slight  any  one ;  not  alone  because  some  day  they 
may  far  outstrip  you  in  the  race  of  life,  but  because  it  is 
neither  right,  nor  kind,  nor  polite.— -S'eZec^ecZ 

Read:  Nixie  Bunny  in  Manners-Land,  by  Sindelar,  to 
the  little  folks;  "The  Knights  and  the  Naughty  Child," 
from  Bakewell  's  True  Fair]/  Stories. 


94 


MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 


Birthday :  Edwin  McMasters  Stanton,  an  American  law- 
yer and  statesman,  born  at  Steubenville,  Ohio,  December  19, 
1814;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  December  20,  1869. 

20    PUKPOSE 

I   RESOLVE 

To  keep  my  health; 
To  do  my  work; 
To  live:  ' 

To  see  to  it  I  grow  and  gain  and  give; 
Never  to  look  behind  me  for  an  hour: 
To  wait  in  weakness,  and  to  walk  in  power: 
But  always  fronting  onward  to  the  light ; 
Alwavs   and   alwavs   facing   toward   the   light. 

—Charlotte  P.  Stetson 

21    PERSE^^KANCE 

The  great   secret  of  success  in  life  is  for  a   man  to 
be    ready    when    his    opportunity    comes. — Disraeli 

INDUSTRY  AND  APPLICATION 

Mr.  Disraeli  affords  an  instance  of  the  power  of  indus- 
try and  application  in  working  out  an  eminent  career. 
His  first  achievements  were,  like  Bulwer's,  in  literature; 
and  he  reached  success  only  through  a  succession  of  fail- 
ures. As  an  orator,  too,  his  first  appearance  in  the  House 
of  Commons  was  a  failure.  Though  composed  in  a  grand 
and  ambitious  strain,  every  sentence  was  hailed  with 
"loud  laughter."  Yet  he  felt  so  sure  that  he  would  some 
day  be  a  great  man  that  he  ended  by  saying:  "I  have 
begun  several  times  many  things,  and  have  succeeded  in 
them  at  last.  I  will  sit  do^v^l  now,  but  the  time  will  come 
when  you  will  hear  me."  The  time  did  come:  and  how 
Disraeli  succeeded  affords  a  striking  illustration  of  what 
energy  and  determination  will  do. 

Birthday:  Benjamin  Disraeli,  earl  of  Beaconsfield,  a 
noted  English  writer  and  statesman,  born  in  London.  Eng- 
land, December  21,  1805 ;  died  on  April  19,  1881. 


DECEMBER  95 

22    HEROES 

Here's  to  the  boy  who  has  courage  to   say 
"No!"  when  he's  tempted,  and  turn  straight  away 
From  temptation  and  tempter,  and  do  what  is  right— 
Such  boys  are   heroes  who'll  win  in  the  fight. 

Here's  to  the   boy   who   is   willing  to  work, 
And,  if  he  could,  not  a  duty  would  shirk; 
Doing   his  best  at   his  work  or   his   play — 
Such   boys   will   do   to   depend   on,   I   say. 

— Hezekiah   Buttericorth 

Sing:  "When  the  Swallows  Homeward  Fly,"  by  Franz 
Abt. 

Birthdays :  Franz  Abt,  a  German  composer,  born  at 
Eilenberg,  Prussian  Saxony,  December  22,  1819 ;  died  at 
AVeisbaden,  April  2,  1885. 

Hezekiah  Butterworth,  an  American  writer  for  young 
folks,  born  in  Warren,  R.  I.,  December  22,  1839 ;  died  Sep- 
tember 5,  1905. 

23    CHEISTMAS 

[December  25] 

'Tis  the  time  of  the  year  for  the  open  hand, 

And  the  tender  heart  and  true. 
When  a  rift  of  heaven  has  cleft  the  skies 

And  the  saints  are  looking  through. 

— Margaret  Songster 

Read:  "How  Uncle  Sam  Observes  Christmas,"  from 
Our  Holidays:  Retold  from  St.  Nicholas;  "Christmas 
Everywhere,"  by  Phillips  Brooks;  "Christmas  Like  it  Used 
to  Be,"  by  Nixon  Waterman;  "The  First  Christmas  Tree," 
by  Yan  Dyke. 

Sing:  Christmas  songs  from  Songs  in  Season.  Procure 
copy  of  Sindelar's  The  Best  Christmas  Book  for  other  songs 
and  entertainment  material. 

Birthdays:  Hamilton  Wright  Mabie,  an  American 
author  and  critic,  born  at  Cold  Spring,  N.  Y.,  December 
23,  1846 ;  lives  at  Summit,  N.  J. 


96  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Harriet  Monroe,  an  American  author,  born  in  Chicago, 
111.,  December  23,  1860  j  lives  in  Chicago. 

24  CHRISTMAS 

[Continued] 

I  heard  the  bells  on  Christmas  Day, 
Their  old  familiar  carols  play 

And  wild  and  sweet 

The  words  repeat 

Of  peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men. 

#^         »  »  *  »  ♦  » 

Then   pealed   the   bells   more    loud    and    deep; 
God  is  not  dead;   nor  doth  he  sleep! 

The  wrong  shall  fail, 

The  right  prevail, 
With  peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men. 

— Longfellow 

Birthdays:  William  Makepeace  Thackeray,  a  famous 
English  writer,  born  at  Calcutta,  British  India,  July  18, 
1811 ;  died  December  24,  1863. 

Matthew  Arnold,  an  English  poet,  born  at  Laleham, 
England,  December  24,  1822 ;  died  April  15,  1888. 

25  CHEISTMAS 

[Concluded] 

"What  means  that  star,"  the  shepherds  said, 
•'That   brightens    through   the   rocky   glen?" 

And    angels    answering    overhead. 

Sang,  "Peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men." 

— From  "A  Christmas  Carol"  by  James  Russell  Lowell 

JESUS  OF  NAZARETH 

The  following  extract  has  been  translated  from  the  writ- 
ings of  the  contemporary  historians  of  the  period  of  Pope 
Innocent  VIII. 

Publius  Lentulus,  in  those  days  Governor  of  Judea,  wrote 
the  following  message  to  the  Senate  and  People  of  Rome : 

"There  appeared  in  these  days  a  most  virtuous  man,  by 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  still  lives  among  us,  and  is 


DECEMBER  97 

considered  by  the  heathens  a  Prophet  of  Truth,  but  called 
by  His  own  disciples  the  Son  of  God.  He  raises  people 
from  the  dead,  and  cures  diseases  of  all  kinds.  Being  a 
man  of  tall  and  imposing  stature,  strongly  inspiring  ven- 
eration by  His  appearance.  He  instills  both  love  and  fear 
into  the  minds  of  those  who  see  Him.  His  hair  has  the 
color  of  a  fully  ripened  hazelnut,  almost  smooth  down  to 
the  ears,  slightly  curly  lower  down,  and  of  a  more  oriental 
shade  as  it  falls  in  a  wavy  mass  upon  His  shoulders.  In 
accordance  with  the  custom  of  the  Nazarenes  it  is  parted 
in  the  middle.  His  brow  is  very  smooth  and  bears  the  im- 
print of  frankness.  His  face  is  free  from  blemishes  and 
wrinkles,  beautiful,  and  with  a  pleasing,  rosy  complexion. 
The  lines  of  the  nose  and  mouth  are  immaculate,  the  beard 
is  rather  full,  of  a  shade  well  in  harmony  with  the  color 
of  His  hair  and  not  very  long.  His  eyes  are  gray,  clear  and 
animated.  His  body  is  shapely  and  vigorous,  and  His  arms 
and  hands  are  well  proportioned.  When  censuring,  He  in- 
spires awe ;  when  admonishing.  He  is  kindly  and  pre- 
possessing. His  speech  is  moderate,  full  of  wisdom  and 
modest,  but  at  the  same  time  dignified.  No  one  can  recol- 
lect seeing  Him  laugh,  but  many  have  seen  Him  weep." 

Tell  about  Newton  and  the  law  of  gravitation. 

Birthdays:  Samuel  de  Champlain,  a  noted  French 
navigator,  born  at  Brouage,  France,  in  1567 ;  died  in  Que- 
bec, Canada,  December  25,  1635. 

Sir  Isaac  Newton,  a  famous  English  philosopher  and 
mathematician,  born  at  Woolsthorpe,  Lincolnshire,  Eng- 
land, December  25,  1642 ;  died  at  London,  March  20,  1727. 

Clara  Barton,  "America's  Florence  Nightingale,"  and 
the  first  president  of  the  Red  Cross  Society  of  America, 
born  at  Oxford,  Mass.,  December  25,  1822;  died  in  1892. 
(See  "The  Red  Cross,"  October  26,  this  book.) 

Edwin  H.  Blashfield,  an  American  painter,  born  in  New 
York  City,  December  25,  1848 ;  has  his  studio  in  New  York. 
Painted  Christmas  Chimes,  etc. 


98  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

26    HUMILITY 

Full  many  a  gem  of  purest  ray  serene. 

The   dark,    unfathomed    caves   of    ocean   bear; 

Full    many   a    flower    is    born    to    blush    unseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air. 

— Gray 

THE  POMPOUS  YOUNG  MAN 

A  STORY  is  told  of  a  pompous  young  man  who  bustled  into 
a  great  lawyer's  office. 

"This  is  Mr.  Sheldon?"  he  said. 

"Yes,"  responded  the  lawyer. 

"Well,  I'm  Mr.  Harvey  of  Harvey,  Wright  &  Company." 

"Take  a  chair,  Mr.  Harvey,"  said  the  lawyer. 

"My  father  was  a  cousin  of  Senator  Harvey  and  I — " 

' '  Take  two  chairs,  IMr.  Harvey  ! ' ' 

"It  is  indeed  a  good  thing  to  be  well  descended — but  the 
glory  belongs  to  one's  ancestors,"  says  Nathaniel  Haw- 
thorne. So,  always  remember  while  admiring  your  family 
tree  that  it  is  the  tree  you  gaze  upon— and  "You"  may  be 
a  little  rotten  apple  that  has  fallen  to  the  ground. 

Read:    "Gray's  Elegy  of  a  Country  Churchyard. 

Sing:     "Abide  with  Me,"  from  American  School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Thomas  Gray,  an  English  poet,  born  in 
Cornhill,  London,  England,  December  26,  1716;  died  in 
London.  July  24,  1771. 

George  Dewey,  an  American  admiral,  born  at  Montpelier, 
Vt.,  December  26,  1837 ;  lives  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

27    HELPFULNESS 

Do  something  for  each  other, 

Though  small  the  help  may  be; 
There's   comfort   oft  in    little   things, 

Far  move  than  others   see. 


DECEMBER  99 

Read :  Life  of  Pasteur,  by  Rene  Vallery  Radot.  Chap- 
ter 13  tells  of  the  first  vaccination  against  hydrophobia 
given  to  a  boy  of  nine  years. 

Birthdays:  Johann  Kepler,  a  famous  German  astron- 
omer, born  in  Wiirtemberg,  Germany,  December  27,  1571 ; 
died  in  Ratisbon,  Germany,  November  15,  1630. 

Louis  Pasteur,  a  noted  French  chemist  and  microscopist, 
born  at  Dole,  Jura,  France,  December  27,  1822;  died  in 
Paris,  September  28,  1895. 

28    ACCOMPLISHMENT 

Whenever  a  task  is  set  for  you, 

Don't  idly  sit  and  view  it, 
Nor  be  content  to  wish  it  done, 

Begin  at  once  to  do  it. 

PRESIDENT  WILSON'S  ADVICE  TO  BOYS 

"I  DARE  say  you  think  that  schoolmasters  are  often  a 
bit  hard  on  you  in  requiring  you  to  do  things  in  order  that 
you  may  pass  the  tests  of  the  school,  but  I  want  to  warn 
you  that  when  you  get  out  of  the  school  you  are  going  to 
have  harder  schoolmasters  than  you  had  before.  For  the 
world  requires  that  we  make  good,  no  matter  what  happens, 
and  the  man  that  does  things  amounts  to  a  great  deal  more 
than  the  man  who  wishes  he  had  done  things  and  who 
promises  he  will  do  things.  The  men  I  am  sorry  for  are 
the  men  who  stop  to  think  that  they  have  accomplished 
something  before  they  stop  at  the  grave  itself.  You  have 
got  to  have  j^our  second  wind  in  this  world  and  keep  it  up 
until  the  last  minute." 

Birthday :  Woodrow  Wilson,  an  American  educator  and 
the  twenty-eighth  president  of  the  United  States,  also  the 
first  president  since  the  Civil  War  to  come  from  the  South, 
born  in  Staunton,  Va.,  December  28,  1856. 


100  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

29    THE  VALUE  OF  THINGS 

Work,  and  the  health  to  do  it,  are  the  greatest  bless- 
ings God  gives  to  mankind. — Pearley 

A  DIAMOND  OR  A  COAL 

BY  CHRISTINA   G.   ROSSETTI 

A  DIAMOND  or  a  coal? 

A  diamond,  if  you  please; 
Who  cares  about  a  clumsy  coal 

Beneath  the  summer  trees  ? 

A  diamond  or  a  coal? 

A  coal,  sir,  if  you  please; 
One   comes  to  care   about   the  coal 

At  times  when  waters  freeze. 

Birthdays:  Andrew  Johnson,  seventeenth  president  of 
the  United  States,  born  in  Raleigh,  N.  C,  December  29, 
1808;  died  near  Elizabethtown,  Tenn.,  July  31,  1875. 

William  E.  Gladstone,  a  famous  English  statesman, 
called  the  "Great  Commoner,"  born  in  Liverpool,  England, 
December  29,  1809 ;  died  at  his  residence,  Hawarden  Castle, 
near  Chester,  May  19,  1898. 

Christina  Georgina  Rossetti,  an  English  poet  of  Italian 
origin,  born  in  London,  England,  1830 ;  died  December  29, 
1894. 

30    TRUST 

God  of  our  fathers,  known  of  old — 
Lord    of   our    far-flung    battle    line — 

Beneath   whose   awful   hand   we   hold 
Dominion  over  palm  and  pine — 

Lord   God   of   Hosts,   be   with   us  yet, 
Lest  we  forget — lest  wc  forget. 

— Rudyard  Kipling 


DECEMBER  101 

THE  VALUE  OF  A  GOOD  NAME 

Just  as  the  Civil  War  commenced,  soldiers  were  enlisting, 
and  going  away  from  almost  every  home  in  the  land.  A 
young  man  had  volimteered,  and  was  expecting  daily  to  be 
ordered  to  the  seat  of  war.  One  day  his  mother  gave  him 
an  unpaid  bill  with  the  money,  and  asked  him  to  pay  it. 
When  he  returned  home  at  night,  she  said,  "Did  you  pay 
that  bill,  George?"— ''Yes,"  he  answered,  "I  paid  it."  In 
a  few  days  the  bill  was  sent  in  a  second  time.  "I  thought," 
said  she  to  her  son,  "that  you  paid  this." — "I  really  do  not 
remember,  mother;  you  know,  I've  so  many  things  on  my 
mind."— "But  you  said  you  paid  it."— "Well,"  he 
answered,  "if  I  said  I  paid  it,  I  did." 

He  went  away  to  his  company,  and  his  mother  went  her- 
self to  the  store.  "I  am  quite  sure,"  she  said  to  the  mer- 
chant, "that  my  son  paid  this  bill  some  days  ago.  He  has 
been  very  busy  since,  and  has  quite  forgotten  about  it,  but 
he  told  me  that  he  had  paid  it  the  day  I  gave  him  the 
money ;  and  he  says,  if  he  said  then  that  he  had  paid  it,  he 
is  quite  sure  that  he  did." — "Well,"  said  the  merchant.  "I 
forgot  about  it ;  but,  if  your  son  ever  said  he  paid  it.  he  did. 
I  have  known  George  all  his  life,  and  his  word  is  as  good 
with  me  as  a  receipt." 

Read:  "How  the  Camel  Got  His  Hump,"  in  Just-So 
Stories,  by  Kipling;  "The  Image  and  the  Treasure,"  from 
Seudder's  Book  of  Legend;  "The  Story  of  Truth,"  from 
Bakewell's  True  Fairy  Stories;  "The  Stolen  Corn,"  from 
Bailey  and  Lewis'  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

Birthdays:  George  Gordon  Meade,  "The  Victor  of 
Gettysburg,"  born  in  Cadiz,  Spain,  where  his  father  at  the 
time  was  L%ited  States  consul,  December  30,  1815 ;  died  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  November  6,  1872. 

Rudyard  Kipling,  an  English  writer  of  stories,  novels, 
and  poems,  born  in  Bombay,  India,  December  30,  1865. 


102  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

31    NEW  YEAR'S  EVE 

Ring  out,  wild  bells,  to  the  wild  sky 
The  flying  cloud,  the  frosty  light: 
The  year  is  dying  in  the  night; 
Ring  out,  wild  bells,  and  let  him  die. 

Ring  out  the  old,  ring  in  the  new, 

Ring,  happy  bells,  across  the  snow: 

The  year  is  going,  let  him  go: 

Ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the  true. 

— From  "In  Memoriam,"  by  Alfred  Lord  Tennyson. 


JANUARY 


1    NEW  YEAR'S  DAY 

Every  day  is  a  fresh  beginning, 
Every  morn  is  the  world  made  new, 
•  •••••• 

Only  the  new  days  are  our  own; 
To-day  is  ours  and  to-day  alone. 

— Susan  Coolidge 

NEW  YEAR'S  DAY  CUSTOMS 

The  custom  of  celebrating  the  first  day  of  the  year  is  a 
very  ancient  one.  The  exchange  of  gifts,  the  paying  of 
calls,  the  making  of  good  resolutions  for  the  new  year  and 
feasting  often  characterize  the  day.  The  custom  of  ringing 
the  church  bells  and  the  blowing  of  horns  is  of  the  widest 
extent. 

The  old-world  custom  of  sitting  up  on  New  Year's  night 
to  see  the  old  year  out  is  still  very  common. 

Read:  "A  Chinese  New  Year's  in  California,"  from 
Our  Holidays:  Retold  from  St.  NicJwlas;  "Paul  Revere 's 
Ride,"  by  Longfellow. 

Sing:    "January,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthdays :  Edmund  Burke,  a  famous  British  statesman 
and  writer,  born  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  January  1,  1730 ;  died 
at  Beaconsfield,  England,  July  9,  1797. 

Paul  Revere,  an  American  patriot,  bom  in  Boston,  Mass., 
January  1,  1735 ;  died  in  Boston,  May  10,  1818. 

Anthony  Wayne,  an  American  general  in  the  Revolution, 
born  at  Waynesborough,  Pa.,  January  1,  1745;  died  in 
Presque  Isle,  December  14,  1796. 


104  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

2    WHAT  SHALL  THE  NEW  YEAR  BE! 

A  glad  New  Year  or  a  sad  New  Year; 

0  what  shall  the  New  Year  be? 
I  cannot  tell  what  it  hath  in  store, 

1  would  that  I  might  foresee; 

But  God  knows  well  and  I  need  no  more; 
Is  that  not  enough  for  me? 

— Selected 

Read :  * '  New  Year 's  Message, ' '  from  Proudf oot  's  Child 's 
Christ  Tales. 

Birthday:  James  Wolfe,  an  English  general,  born  at 
Westerham,  Kent,  England,  January  2,  1726;  died  Sep- 
tember 13,  1759. 

3    FAITHFUL  TO  TRUST 

To  thine  own  self  be  true; 
And  it  must  follow  as  night  the  day, 
Thou  can'st  not  then  be  false  to  any  man. 

— Shakespeare 

A  CRUEL  BOY  ALMOST  SURE  TO  MAKE  A  CRUEL 

MAN 

There  was  once  a  boy  who  loved  to  give  pain  to  every- 
thing that  came  in  his  way,  over  which  he  could  gain  any 
power.  He  would  take  eggs  from  the  mourning  robin,  and 
torture  the  unfledged  sparrow,  cats  and  dogs,  the  peaceable 
cow  and  the  faithful  horse ;  he  delighted  to  worry  and  dis- 
tress. I  do  not  like  to  tell  you  the  many  cruel  things  that 
he  did.  He  was  told  that  such  things  were  wrong.  An 
excellent  lady  with  whom  he  lived  used  to  warn  and  reprove 
him  for  his  evil  conduct — but  he  did  not  reform.  When 
he  grew  up  he  became  a  soldier.  He  was  never  sorry  to 
see  men  wounded,  and  blood  rimning  upon  the  earth.  He 
became  so  wicked  that  he  laid  a  plan  to  betray  his  country, 
and  to  sell  it  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  This  is  to  be 
a  traitor.  But  he  was  discovered  and  fled.  He  never  dared 
to  return  to  his  native  land,  but  lived  despised  and  died 


JANUARY  105 

miserably  in  a  foreign  clime.  Such  was  the  end  of  the 
cruel  boy,  who  loved  to  give  pain  to  animals.  He  was 
born  at  Norwich,  Conn.,  and  the  beautiful  city  of  his  birth 
is  ashamed  of  his  memory.    His  name  was  Benedict  Arnold. 

— The  Spirit  of  Humanity 

Birthdays:  Benedict  Arnold,  an  American  general  and 
traitor,  born  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  January  3,  1740;  died  in 
London,  England,  June  14,  1801. 

Larkin  Goldsmith  Mead,  an  American  sculptor,  born  at 
Chesterfield,  N.  H.,  January  3,  1835;  died  in  Florence, 
Italy,  October  15,  1910. 

4    WORK  AND  PLAY 

Work  while  you  work, 
Play  while  you  play. 
That  is  the  way 
To  be  cheerful  and  gay. 

Sing:  "Work  and  Play,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary 
Songs. 

5    IDLENESS 

He  is  not  only  idle  who  does  nothing,  but  he  is  idle 
who  might  be  better  employed. — Socrates 

THE  VOICE  OF  NATURE 

Among  the  disciples  of  Hillel,  the  wise  teacher  of  the 
sons  of  Israel,  was  one  named  Saboth,  whom  every  kind  of 
labor  displeased,  so  that  he  gave  himself  up  to  idleness  and 
sloth.  Hillel  was  grieved  for  the  youth,  and  resolved  to 
reform  him.  To  this  end  he  conducted  him  out  one  day  to 
the  valley  of  Hinnon,  near  Jerusalem. 

Here  there  was  a  large  pool  of  stagnant  water,  full  of 
reptiles  and  vermin,  and  covered  with  slimy  weeds.  When 
they  reached  the  valley,  Hillel  laid  aside  his  staff,  and  said : 
"  Here  we  will  rest  from  our  journey. ' '    But  the  youth  was 


106  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

astonished,  and  said:  ''What!  master;  by  this  loathsome 
swamp  ?  Do  you  not  perceive  what  a  poisonous  odor  arises 
from  it?" 

"Thou  art  right,  my  son,"  answered  the  teacher.  "This 
swamp  is  like  the  soul  of  the  idler.  Who  would  remain  in 
its  vicinity?"  Thereupon  Hillel  conducted  the  youth  to 
a  desolate  field,  in  which  grew  only  thorns  and  thistles, 
which  choked  the  corn,  and  the  wholesome  plants. 

Then  Hillel  leaned  upon  his  staff  and  said:  "Behold, 
this  field  has  a  fruitful  soil,  to  bring  forth  all  things  agree- 
able and  useful !  But  it  has  been  forgotten  and  neglected. 
So  it  now  produces  stinging  thistles,  and  thorns,  and  poison- 
ous plants;  and  among  them  nestle  snakes  and  moles. 
Before  thou  sawest  the  soul;  now  recognize  the  life  of  the 
idler. ' ' — Adapted 

Sing:  "What  Kind  of  Boys,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best 
Primary  Smigs. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Florida.  (See  Arhor  Bay, 
April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

6    LOYALTY 

To  all  the  world  I  give  my  hand; 
My  heart  I  give  my  native  land, 

I  seek  her  good,  her  glory; 
I  honor  every  nation's  name, 
Respect  their  fortune  and  their  fame, 

But  love  the  land  that  bore  me. 

— Selected 

JOAN  OF  ARC 

Joan  of  Arc  was  the  daughter  of  poor  peasants  and  in 
her  girlhood  was  a  servant  in  a  tavern.  France  was  then 
at  war  with  England  and  the  whole  country  was  in  great 
trouble.  Joan  used  to  listen  to  the  talk  of  the  travelers,  and 
think  a  great  deal  about  the  misfortunes  of  her  country. 
She  longed  to  do  something  to  help  the  king,  and  by  and 


JANUARY  107 

by  she  fancied  that  she  had  visions  from  heaven,  and  heard 
voices  telling  her  that  she  must  save  the  nation.  This  idea 
took  such  hold  of  her  that  at  last  she  made  the  people 
believe  that  God  had  really  sent  her  to  do  a  great  work. 
The  king,  Charles  VII,  consented  to  let  her  lead  the  soldiers 
in  an  attack  upon  the  English  at  the  siege  of  Orleans;  and 
she  did  it  so  well  that  the  English  were  beaten  and  driven 
out  of  the  town. 

After  Charles  was  crowned  at  Rheims,  Joan  wanted  to 
go  home,  for  she  thought  her  work  was  ended.  But  there 
were  more  battles  to  fight,  and  everybody  now  believed  that 
wherever  she  went  she  would  bring  victory  for  the  French 
army.  So  they  would  not  let  her  go ;  and  in  the  end  poor 
Joan  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  enemy,  after  an  unsuccess- 
ful battle,  and  burnt  for  a  witch  in  the  marketplace  of 
Rouen,  May  31,  1431.  All  the  world  has  honored  her  since 
her  death,  and  statues  have  been  raised  to  her  memory. 

Birthdays:  Joan  of  Arc  (French:  Jeanne  d'Arc),  called 
also  the  "Maid  of  Orleans,"  born  at  Domremy,  Lorraine, 
France,  January  6,  1412 ;  burnt  for  a  witch  in  the  market- 
place of  Rouen,  France,  May  31,  1431. 

Charles  Sumner,  an  American  statesman,  born  in  Bos- 
ton, Mass.,  January  6,  1811;  died  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
March  11,  1874. 

7    PATRIOTISM 

Let  little  hands  bring  blossoms  sweet, 

To  brave  men  lying  low; 
Let  little  hearts  to  soldiers  dead 

Their  love  and  honor  show. 
We'll  love  the  flag  they  loved  so  well, 

The  dear  old  banner  bright, 
We'll  love  the  land  for  which  they  fell, 

With  soul,  and  strength,  and  might! 

—8.  M.  Kneil 

Learn :     "A  Salute  to  the  Flag, ' '  by  Charles  Sumner. 
Read:    Whittier's  "Barbara  Frietchie."    Tell  the  story 


108  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

of  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  of  Putnam's  part  in  it. 

Sing:  "Proud  Flag  of  the  Free,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Israel  Putnam,  an  American  general,  born 
at  Salem,  Mass.,  January  7,  1718 ;  died  at  Brooklyn,  Conn., 
May  19,  1790. 

Millard  Fillmore,  thirteenth  president  of  the  United 
States,  born  in  Cayuga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  January  7,  1800 ;  died  in 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  March  8,  1874. 

8    CHEERFULNESS 

Keep  a  smile  on  your  lips:  it  is  better 

To  joyfully,  hopefully  try 
For  the  end  you  would  gain  than  to  fetter 

Your  life  with  a  moan  and  a  sigh. 
There  are  clouds  in  the  firmament  ever 

The  beauty  of  heaven  to  mar, 
Yet  night  so  profound  there  is  never 

But  somewhere  is  shining  a  star. 

Keep   a   song  in   your  heart;    it   will   lighten 

The  duties  that  come  to  your  hand; 
Its  music  will  graciously  brighten 

The  work  that  the  builder  has  planned. 
Its  notes  to  the  lives  that  are  saddened 

May  make  them   hopefully  yearn, 
And  yours  shall  be  wondrously  gladdened 

By  songs  they  shall  sing  in  return. 

— Nixon  Waterman 

Sing:  "The  Happy  Farmer,"  from  Songs  Every  One 
Should  Know. 

Birthdays :  Robert  Schumann,  a  German  writer  of  music, 
born  in  Zwiekan,  Saxony,  Germany,  January  8,  1810;  died 
near  Bonn,  Germany.  July  29,  1856. 

James  Longstreet,  a  noted  Confederate  general  in  the 
Civil  War,  born  in  Edgefield,  S.  C,  January  8,  1821;  died 
near  Gainesville,  Ga.,  January  2,  1904. 

Special  Day :  Anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  New  Orleans, 
celebrated  in  Louisiana. 


JANUARY  109 

9    PERSEVERANCE 

In   the  lexicon   of  youth  which   fate  reserves   for  a 
bright  manhood,  there  is  no  such  word  as  fail. — Lytton 

10    LOYALTY 

Such  is  the  patriot's  boast,  where'er  we  roam, 
His  first,  best  country  ever  is  at  home. 

— Goldsmith 

ETHAN  ALLEN  AND  THE  GREEN  MOUNTAIN  BOYS 

Ethan  Allen  was  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  January  10, 
1738.  When  a  boy  his  parents  emigrated  to  Salisbury, 
where  most  of  his  youth  was  spent,  and  in  1765  he  emigrated 
to  what  was  then  called  the  "New  Hampshire  Grants," 
now  the  State  of  Vermont.  This  was  then  claimed  by  both 
New  Hampshire  and  New  York,  and  the  settlers  there 
formed  themselves  into  a  company  called  ' '  Green  Mountain 
Boys,"  to  protect  their  interests,  and  chose  Ethan  Allen 
for  their  leader.  Soon  after  the  fight  at  Lexington  (1775), 
he  marched  against  Fort  Ticonderoga  and  captured  it. 

In  September  of  the  same  year  Allen  was  captured  by 
the  British  while  on  an  expedition  against  Montreal,  and 
carried  to  England  in  irons.  After  being  kept  a  prisoner 
for  two  and  one-half  years,  he  was  exchanged  for  a  British 
colonel.  The  English  who  admired  his  courage,  tried  to 
bribe  him  to  take  their  side.  Once,  in  New  York,  an  officer 
told  him  that  his  faithfulness  had  won  General  Howe's 
good  opinion,  and  that  if  he  would  join  King  George's 
army  he  would  be  given  a  good  position,  and  would  be  re- 
warded after  the  war  with  large  estates  in  Vermont  or 
Connecticut.  Allen  told  him  that  he  was  so  much  obliged 
to  General  Howe  for  his  opinion  that  he  would  not  lose  it 
by  turning  traitor.  "As  to  the  offer  of  lands,"  said  he, 
"that  is  much  like  a  similar  offer  once  made  by  Satan  to 
Christ  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  earth,  when  in  fact  the  old 
devil  didn't  own  an  acre." 


110  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Sing:  "The  Flag  of  Our  Union,  Forever!"  from  Uncle 
Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthday:  Ethan  Allen,  an  American  officer  in  the 
Revolution,  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  January  10,  1738; 
died  near  Colchester,  Vt.,  February  13,  1789.  Leader  of 
the  ' '  Green  Mountain  Boys. ' ' 

11    PATRIOTISM 

Then  conquer  we  must,  for  our  cause  it  is  just, 

And  this  be  our  motto — In  God  is  our  trust: 

And  the  star-spangled  banner  in  triumph  shall  wave 

O'er  the  land  of  the  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave. 

— From  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner"  by  Francis  Scott  Key 

THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

To-DAT  is  the  birthday  of  Francis  Scott  Key,  the  author 
of  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner."  This  song  of  national 
and  undying  fame  was  written  under  conditions  so  thrilling 
as  to  inspire  the  author  with  graphic  power.  In  was  born 
of  interest  and  patriotism  during  a  conflict  when  the  flag 
was  in  danger,  and  was  written  by  Francis  Scott  Key,  a 
young  lawyer  of  Baltimore,  during  the  w-ar  of  1812.  Under 
a  flag  of  truce  he  paid  a  visit  to  a  British  fleet  off  Balti- 
more, for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  release  of  a  friend 
(Dr.  Beans)  who  was  being  held  prisoner.  On  the  same 
day  the  bombardment  of  Fort  McHenry  began,  and  fearing 
he  might  reveal  their  plans,  the  British  would  not  permit 
the  visitor  to  return  ashore.  All  through  the  night  he  re- 
mained upon  deck  with  Dr.  Beans  and  in  the  light  of  the 
bursting  shells  they  could  see  the  American  flag  still 
waving  over  the  old  fort.  And  when  in  the  first  rays  of 
the  dawn  he  still  beheld  the  glorious  banner  waving  from 
its  accustomed  place  Francis  Scott  Key  wrote  that  won- 
derful song,  The  Star-Spangled  Banner,  upon  the  back 
of  a  letter. 

The  attack  on  Baltimore  had  failed,  and  the  next  day  Mr. 


JANUARY  111 

Key  was  permitted  to  return  to  the  city.  In  his  room  at 
the  hotel  he  finished  and  perfected  the  famous  poem,  which 
was  first  printed  in  a  Baltimore  newspaper. 

Sing:     "The  Star-Spangled  Banner." 

Birthdays:  Alexander  Hamilton,  a  famous  American 
statesman,  born  in  the  island  of  Nevis,  West  Indies,  Jan- 
uary 11,  1757 ;  died  at  Weehawken,  N.  J.,  July  12,  1804. 

Francis  Scott  Key,  author  of  "The  Star-Spangled  Ban- 
ner," born  in  Frederick  County,  Md.,  August  1,  1779;  died 
in  Baltimore,  January  11,  1843. 

Bayard  Taylor,  an  American  author,  born  at  Kennett 
Square,  Chester  County,  Pa.,  January  11,  1825;  died  in 
Berlin,  Germany,  December  19,  1878. 

12    INDEPENDENCE 

Let    independence    be    our    boast, 
Ever  mindful  what  it  cost; 
Ever  grateful  for  the  prize, 
Let  its  altar  reach  the  skies! 

— Joseph  Hopkinson 

Learn:    "The  Declaration  of  Independence." 

Sing:    "America." 

Birthdays:  Charles  Perrault,  a  French  writer,  bom  in 
Paris,  January  12,  1628;  died  in  Paris,  May  16,  1703. 
Wrote  Cinderella,  Bluebeard,  Little  Bed  Riding  Hood,  Puss 
in  Boots,  Hop  o'  My  Thumb,  etc. 

John  Hancock,  a  noted  American  statesman,  and  the 
first  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  July  4, 
1774,  bom  in  Quincy,  Mass.,  January  12,  1737;  died  at 
Quincy,  October  8,  1793. 

Jack  London,  an  American  author,  bom  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.,  January  12,  1876 ;  lives  at  Glen  Ellen,  Cal. 

13    CHARACTER 

Character,  like  porcelain,  must  be  painted  before  it  Ib 
glazed.     There  can  be  no  change  when  it  is  burnt  in. 

— Henry  Ward  Beecher 


112  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

CARVING  A  NAME 

BY  HORATIO  ALGER 

I  WROTE  my  name  upon  the  sand, 
And  trusted  it  would  stand  for  aye; 

But  soon,  alas ;  the  refluent  sea 
Had  washed  my  feeble  lines  away. 

I  carved  my  name  upon  the  wood. 

And,  after  years,  returned  again; 
I  missed  the  shadow  of  the  tree 

That  stretched  of  old  upon  the  plain. 

To  solid  marble  next  my  name 

I  gave  as  a  perpetual  trust; 
An  earthquake  rent  it  to  its  base, 

And  now  it  lies  o'erlaid  with  dust. 

All  these  have  failed.    In  wiser  mood 
I  turn  and  ask  myself,  "What  then? 

If  I  would  have  my  name  endure, 
I  '11  write  it  on  the  hearts  of  men. 

"  'In  characters  of  living  light. 

From  kindly  words  and  actions  wrought; 

And  these,  beyond  the  reach  of  time. 
Shall  live  immortal  as  my  thought.'  " 

Sing:  "The  Old  Oaken  Bucket,"  from  So)igs  Evcrij 
One  Should  Know;  "My  Old  Kentucky  Home"  and 
"Swanee  River,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Samuel  Woodworth,  an  American  writer, 
born  in  Scituate,  Mass.,  January  13,  1785;  died  in  New 
York  City,  December  9,  1842.  Best  known  as  the  author  of 
the  song  "The  Old  Oaken  Bucket." 

Stephen  C.  Foster,  an  American  writer  of  songs,  born  in 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  July  4,  1826 ;  died  in  New  York  City,  Jan- 


JANUARY  113 

uary  13,  1864.     Composer  of  "My  Old  Kentucky  Home," 
"Old  Folks  at  Home,"  and  many  other  popular  songs. 

Horatio  Alger,  an  American  writer,  born  at  Revere, 
Mass.,  January  13,  1834;  died  at  Natick,  Mass.,  July  18, 
1899. 

14    THE  SNOW 

The  snow  had  begun  in  the  gloaming, 

And  busily  all  the  night 
Had  been  heaping  field  and  highway 

With  a  silence  deep  and  white. 

Every   pine,   and   fir   and   hemlock. 

Wore  ermine  too  dear  for  an  earl, 
And  the  poorest  twig  on  the  elm  tree 

Was  ridged  inch  deep  with  pearl. 

— James  Russell  Lowell 

Sing:  "The  Silently  Falling  Snow,"  from  Kellogg 's 
Best  Primary  Songs. 

Birthday :  Lewis  Carroll,  the  pen-name  of  Rev.  Charles 
Lutwidge  Dodgson,  when  he  wrote  for  young  folks,  an  Eng- 
lish clergyman  and  writer,  born  in  1832 ;  died  January  14, 
1898.  Best  known  for  his  Alice's  Adventures  in  Wonder- 
land. 

15    NOBLENESS 

Be  noble!  and  the  nobleness  that  lies 
In  other  men,  sleeping  but  never  dead. 
Will  rise  in  majesty  to  meet  thine  own. 

— Lowell 

Learn:    "Nobility,"  by  Alice  Gary. 
Read:    Bible,  Matt.  7 :  24-27. 

Sing:  "Onward,  Christian  Soldiers,"  from  American 
School  Songs. 

16    HABIT 

We  sleep,  but  the  loom  of  life  never  stops;  and  the 
pattern  which  was  weaving  when  the  sun  went  down  is 
weaving  when  it  comes  up  to-morrow. — Beecher 


114  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

17    OPPORTUNITY 

Lost  time  is  never  found  again,  and  what  we  call 
time  enough,  always  proves  little  enough. 

— Benjamin  Franklin 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 

BY   T.    W.    HIGGINSON 

One  of  the  Americans  who  rendered  the  greatest  services 
to  the  liberty  of  their  country  was  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin. 
He  was  born  in  Boston,  January  17,  1706,  and  was  the 
son  of  a  poor  tallow  chandler.  "When  a  boy,  he  learned  the 
printer 's  trade ;  at  seventeen  he  left  home,  and  established 
himself  in  Philadelphia. 

He  and  a  young  partner  began  business  with  no  capital, 
and  felt  very  grateful  to  a  friend  whom  they  met  in  the 
street  and  who  gave  them  a  five-shilling  job.  Afterward 
they  set  up  a  newspaper,  and  published  an  almanac  called 
"Poor  Richard's  Almanac,"  which  had  a  great  circulation. 
They  also  dealt  in  all  sorts  of  small  wares — rags,  ink,  soap, 
feathers,  and  coifee. 

Franklin  Avas  a  great  reader,  and  a  great  student  of 
science,  and  especially  of  electricity.  He  formed  the  theory 
that  lightning  and  the  electrical  fluid  are  the  same  thing. 
This  he  said  in  a  pamphlet,  and  some  readers  thought  it 
a  very  absurd  view.  Then  he  resolved  to  prove  it.  He  and 
his  young  son  made  a  great  kite  of  a  silk  handkerchief, 
fastened  a  piece  of  sharpened  wire  to  the  stick,  and  went 
out  to  fly  the  kite  in  a  thunder-storm. 

As  the  low  thundercloud  passed,  the  electric  fluid  came 
down  the  string  of  the  kite.  When  Franklin  touched  a 
key  that  he  had  fastened  to  the  string,  his  knuckles  drew 
sparks  from  it,  and  proved  that  there  was  electricity  there. 
This  led  him  to  invent  the  lightning  rod,  which  is  now  in 
almost  universal  use.  This  discovery  at  once  made  him 
very  famous  in  Europe,  as  well  as  in  America. 


JANUARY  X15 

He  was  afterward  sent  to  England  on  a  public  mission, 
and  remained  there  till  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution. 
Returning  to  America,  he  was  one  of  the  framers  and 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  He  was  sent  to 
France  as  ambassador,  and  aided  in  making  the  treaty  with 
France  which  secured  the  independence  of  the  American 
colonies. 

He  was  a  man  of  the  greatest  activity,  public  spirit,  and 
wit.  He  exercised  great  influence  in  all  public  affairs,  and 
founded  more  good  institutions  and  benevolent  enterprises 
than  any  other  American  of  his  time.  His  last  public  act 
was  to  sign  a  memorial  to  Congress  in  behalf  of  the  Phila- 
delphia Antislavery  Society,  of  which  he  was  president,  ask- 
ing the  abolition  of  slavery. 

He  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-four,  dying  in  1790.  The 
whole  nation  mourned  when  he  died. 

Birthday:  Benjamin  Franklin,  a  famous  American 
philosopher  and  statesman,  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  Janu- 
ary 17,  1706 ;  died  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April  17,  1790. 

18    KEEPING  YOUR  WORD 

One  may  live  as  a  conqueror,  a  king,  or  magistrate; 
but  he  must  die  as  a  man. — Webster 

BLUCHER  AT  WATERLOO 

When  Blucher  was  hastening  over  bad  roads  to  help 
Wellington  at  Waterloo;  his  troops  faltered.  "It  can't  be 
done ! ' '  said  they. 

"It  must  be  done,"  was  Blucher 's  reply.  "I  have 
promised  to  be  there,  promised,  do  you  hear  ?  You  wouldn  't 
have  me  break  my  word  ? ' '    And  it  was  done. 

Read :  Daniel  Webster  *s  ' '  Bunker  Hill  Oration ; ' '  Bible, 
Matt.  13 :  3-9. 

Sing:  "Uncle  Sam's  Wedding,"  from  Merry  Melodies. 
Birthday:     Daniel  Webster,  a  famous  American  states- 


116  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

man,  born  in  Salisbury  (now  Franklin),  N.  H.,  January 
18,  1782;  died  at  his  farm  in  Marshfield,  Mass.,  October 
24,  1852. 

19    EDUCATION 

Every  man   must  educate  himself.     His   books  and 
teacher  are  but  helps;  the  work  is  his. — Webster 

JAMES  WATT 

About  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  a  little  boy  who 
lived  at  Greenock,  Scotland,  and  whose  name  was  James 
Watt,  sat  one  day  looking  at  a  kettle  of  boiling  water,  and 
holding  a  spoon  against  the  steam  that  rushed  out  of  the 
spout. 

His  aunt,  thinking  him  idle,  said,  "James,  is  it  not  a 
great  shame  for  you  to  waste  your  time  playing  with  the 
kettle?"  But  James  was  really  not  idle.  He  was  observ- 
ing the  power  of  steam. 

James  grew  to  be  a  great  and  good  man,  and  he  developed 
the  steam  engine  which  is  so  useful  to  us  to-day.  So,  be- 
cause he  was  a  close  observer,  the  little  boy  playing  with 
the  kettle  has  given  us  the  steam  engine  which  to-day 
propels  great  ships  across  the  ocean,  hauls  long  trains  of 
passenger  and  freight  cars  quickly  across  the  country,  and 
turns  the  great  wheels  that  drive  the  heavy  machinery  in 
our  great  factories  and  mills. 

Read:  "The  Landing  of  the  Pilgrims,"  by  Felicia 
Hemans,  and  show  in  connection  Boughton's  pictures. 

Birthdays :  James  Watt,  the  inventor  or  rather  improver 
of  the  steam  engine,  born  in  Greenock,  Scotland,  January 
19,  1736;  died  at  Heathfield,  near  Birmingham,  England, 
August  25,  1819. 

Robert  E.  Lee,  a  famous  American  general,  born  in  Vir- 
ginia, January  19,  1807;  died  at  Lexington,  Va.,  October 
12,  1870. 


JANUARY  117 

Sir  Henry  Bessemer,  an  English  engineer  and  founder 
of  Bessemer  steel,  born  at  Charlton,  Hertfordshire,  Eng- 
land, January  19,  1813. 

George  H.  Boughton,  an  English  painter,  bom  in  Nor- 
folk, in  1834 ;  died  at  Campden  Hill,  January  19,  1905. 

David  Starr  Jordan,  an  American  educator,  born  at 
Gainesville,  N.  Y.,  January  19,  1851;  president  of  Leland 
Stanford  Junior  University,  Palo  Alto,  California. 

20    HONESTY 

There  is  only  one  failure  in  life  possible,  and  that  iB 
not  to  be  true  to  the  best  one  knows. — Farrar 

Birthdays:  Richard  Henry  Lee,  a  famous  American 
statesman,  born  at  Stratford,  Westmoreland  County,  Va., 
January  20,  1732 ;  died  in  Westmoreland  County,  June  19, 
1794. 

Robert  Morris,  an  American  statesman  and  a  signer  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  born  at  Lancashire,  Eng- 
land, January  20,  1734 ;  died  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  May  8, 
1806. 

Nathaniel  Parker  Willis,  an  American  writer,  born  in 
Portland,  Me.,  January  20,  1806;  died  at  his  place  called 
"Idlewild,"  near  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  January  21,  1867. 

21    FORGIVENESS 

So  are  great  deeds  as  natural  to  great  men 
As  mean  things  are  to  small  ones. 

— Oeorge   MacDonald 

LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES 

Angry  looks  can  do  no  good, 

And  blows  are  dealt  in  blindness ; 
Words  are  better  understood. 

If  spoken  but  in  kindness. 


118  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Simple  love  far  more  hath  wrought, 

Although  by  childhood  muttered, 
Than  all  the  battles  ever  fought, 

Or  oaths  that  men  have  uttered. 

Friendship  oft  would  longer  last, 

And  quarrels  be  prevented, 
If  little  words  were  let  go  past — 

Forgiven,  not  resented. 

Foolish   things   are    frowns    and   sneers, 

For  angry  thoughts  reveal  them ; 
Rather  drown  them  all  in  tears. 

Than  let  another  feel  them. 

Tell  the  story  of  the  Prodigal  Son.  Bible,  Matt.  18; 
read  Matt.  5:44. 

Sing:     "The  Lord  My  Shepherd  Is,"  from  Aynerican 

School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  John  C.  Fremont,  a  noted  American  ex- 
plorer and  general,  sometimes  called  the  "Pathfinder." 
born  in  Savannah,  Ga..  January  21,  1813;  died  in  New 
York  City,  July  13,  1890. 

Thomas  J.  (Stonewall)  Jackson,  an  Amcrif^an  Confed- 
erate general,  born  in  Clarksburg.  Va.,  January  21,  1824; 
died  near  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  May  10,  1863. 

22    ^\aSDOM 

Reading  maketli  a  full  man ;  conference,  a  ready  man ; 
and  writing,  an  exact  man. — Francis  Bacon 

EXPERIENCE 

A  MULE,  a  fox,  and  a  lion  were  out  walking  together. 
They  found  a  big  piece  of  meat.  The  lion  said  to  the  mule : 
"You  may  divide  the  meat;  you  always  share  it  so  well." 
The  mule  divided  the  meat  into  three  equal  pieces  and  gave 


JANUARY  119 

a  piece  to  each.  The  lion  was  so  angrj^  that  he  killed  the 
mule.    Then  he  told  the  fox  to  share  the  meat. 

The  fox  gave  all  the  meat  to  the  lion.  The  lion  was 
pleased. 

"How  did  you  learn  to  share  so  well?"  asked  he. 

* '  The  dead  mule  taught  me  how, ' '  said  the  fox. 

Read:  "Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom,"  from  Mabie's 
Norse  Stories. 

Birthdays:  Francis  Bacon,  an  English  philosopher  and 
statesman,  born  in  London,  England,  January  22,  1561 ; 
died  at  Highgate,  England,  April  9,  1626.  Called  by  Pope, 
the  poet  "The  wisest,  brightest,  meanest  of  mankind." 

Gotthold  Ephraim  Lessing,  a  noted  German  writer,  born 
in  Saxony,  Germany,  January  22,  1729;  died  in  Bruns- 
wick, Germany,  February  15,  1781. 

George  Gordon  (Lord)  Byron,  a  famous  English  poet, 
born  in  London,  England,  January  22,  1788 ;  died  at 
Missolonghi,  Greece,  April  19,  1824. 

23    LOVE  AND  TRUTH 

He     liveth     long,     who     liveth     well, 

All  else  is  life  but  flung  away; 
He  liveth  longest  who  can  tell 

Of  true  things  truly  done  each  day. 

24    PERSISTENCE 

Many  strokes,  though  with  a  little  ax, 
Hew    down    and    fell    the    hardest    timbered    oaks. 

— Shakespeare 

Birthdays:  Charles  H.  Niehaus,  an  American  sculptor, 
born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  January  24,  1855;  lives  in  New 
York  City. 

Beatrice  Harraden,  an  English  novelist,  born  at  Hamp- 
stead,  England,  January  24,  1864;  lives  in  London, 
England. 


120  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

25    PLEASURES 

Pleasures  are  like  poppies  spread; 
You  seize  the  flower,  the  bloom  is  shed; 
Or  like  the  snowflake  in  the  river, 
A  moment  white,  then  lost  forever. 

— Robert  Burns 

ADVICE  OF  ROBBY  BURNS'  FATHER 

In  Robert  Burns'  own  words,  this  is  the  advice  which 
his  father  gave  him  and  which  he  never  forgot: 
He  bade  me  act  a  manly  part,  though  I  had  ne'er  a  farthing, 
For  without  an  honest  manly  heart  no  man  was  worth  regarding. 

Read:  **To  a  Field  Mouse"  and  "For  A'  That,"  by 
Robert  Burns.  A  short  biography  of  Burns  will  be  found 
in  the  Neiv  Era  Fifth  Reader. 

Sing:  "Auld  Lang  Syne"  and  "Flow  Gently,  Sweet 
Afton, "  from  Hanson's  Gems  of  Song. 

Birthdays :  Robert  Burns,  the  national  poet  of  Scotland, 
born  near  Ayr,  Scotland,  January  25,  1759 ;  died  at  Dum- 
fries, Scotland,  July  21,  1796. 

Louise  de  la  Ramee  (Ouida),  an  English  novelist,  born 
at  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  Suffolk,  England,  in  1839;  died  at 
Villareggio,  Italy,  January  25,  1908. 

26    REMEMBRANCE 

There    is    a    pretty    little    flower, 

Of  sky-blue  tint  and  white, 
That  glitters  in  the  sunsliine 

And  goes  to  sleep  at  night. 
'Tis  a  token  of  remembrance, 

And  a  pretty  name  it's  got; 
Would  you  know  it  if  I  told  you? 

'Tis  the  sweet  Forget-me-not. 

27    MUSIC 

Music  hath  charms  to  sooth  a  savage  breast, 
To  soften  rocks,  or  bend  a  knotted  oak. 

— Congreve 


JANUARY  121 

A  BOY  WHO  BECAME  FAMOUS 

A  BOY  only  six  years  old  was  sailing  with  his  father  down 
the  Danube.  All  day  long  they  had  been  sailing  past 
crumbling  ruins,  frowning  castles,  cloisters  hidden  away 
among  the  crags,  towering  cliffs,  quiet  villages  nestled  in 
sunny  valleys,  and  here  and  there  a  deep  gorge  that  opened 
back  from  the  gliding  river.  They  stopped  at  night  at  a 
cloister,  and  the  father  took  little  Wolfgang  into  the  chapel 
to  see  the  organ.  It  was  the  first  large  organ  he  had  ever 
seen,  and  his  face  lit  up  with  delight,  and  every  motion 
and  attitude  of  his  figure  expressed  a  wondering  reverence. 

"Father,"  said  the  boy,  "let  me  play."  Well  pleased, 
the  father  complied.  Then  Wolfgang  pushed  aside  the 
stool,  and,  when  his  father  had  filled  the  great  bellows,  the 
elfin  organist  stood  upon  the  pedals.  How  the  deep  tones 
M^oke  the  somber  stillness  of  the  old  church!  The  organ 
seemed  some  great,  uncouth  creature  roaring  for  very  joy 
at  the  caresses  of  the  marvelous  child. 

The  monks,  eating  their  supper  in  the  refectory,  heard 
it,  and  dropped  knife  and  fork  in  astonishment.  The 
organist  of  the  brotherhood  was  among  them,  but  never 
had  he  played  with  such  power.  They  listened;  some 
crossed  themselves ;  till  the  prior  rose  up  and  hastened  into 
the  chapel.  The  others  followed;  but  when  they  looked 
up  into  the  organ-loft,  lo !  there  was  no  organist  to  be  seen, 
though  the  deep  tones  still  massed  themselves  in  new  har- 
monies, and  made  the  stone  arches  thrill  with  their  power. 

"  It  is  the  devil ! ' '  cried  one  of  the  monks,  drawing  closer 
to  his  companions,  and  giving  a  scared  look  over  his  shoulder 
at  the  darkness  of  the  aisle.  "  It  is  a  miracle ! ' '  said  another. 
But  when  the  boldest  of  them  mounted  the  stairs  to  the 
organ-loft,  he  stood  as  if  petrified  with  amazement.  There 
was  the  tiny  figure  treading  from  pedal  to  pedal,  and  at 
the  same  time  clutching  at  the  keys  above  with  his  little 
hands.     He  heard  nothing,  saw  nothing,  besides;  his  eyes 


122  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

beamed,  and  his  whole  face  was  lighted  up  with  joy.  Louder 
and  fuller  rose  the  harmonies,  streaming  forth  in  swelling 
billows,  till  at  last  they  seemed  to  reach  a  sunny  shore  on 
which  they  broke ;  and  then  a  whispering  ripple  of  faintest 
melodj^  lingered  a  moment  in  the  air,  like  the  last  murmur 
of  a  wind  harp,  and  all  was  still. 
The  boy  was  Wolfgang  IMozart. 

Birthday :  Wolfgang  Amadeus  Mozart,  a  famous  German 
WTiter  of  music,  bom  in  Salzburg,  Austria,  January  27, 
1756;  died  in  Vienna,  Austria,  December  5,  1791. 

28    KINDNESS 

Be  kind  and  gentle  to  those  who  are  old. 
For  kindness  is  dearer  and  better  than  gold. 

WELLINGTON  AND  THE  TOAD 

The  Duke  of  Wellington  was  a  very  kind  man.  Once 
when  walking  in  his  garden  he  saw  a  boy  playing  with  a 
toad.    "What  are  you  doing?"  he  asked. 

"I  am  feeding  my  toad,"  said  the  boy.  "My  father  is 
going  to  send  me  to  school,  and  I  am  afraid  my  toad  will 
die." 

"Go  to  school,  m}'  boy,"  said  the  duke,  "and  I  will 
take  care  of  your  toad. ' ' 

He  afterward  wrote  to  the  boy  at  school,  to  tell  him 
that  the  toad  was  quite  well. 

Read:  "The  Grateful  Foxes,"  from  Cooke's  Nature 
Myths  and  Stories;  Bible,  Matt.  7 :  12. 

Sing:  "Speak  Softly,  Gently,"  from  Hanson's  Gems  of 
Song. 

Birthdays:  Elizabeth  Stuart  Phelps  Ward,  an  Amer- 
ican writer,  bom  at  Andover,  Mass.,  August  13,  1844 ;  died 
in  Newton  Center,  Mass.,  January  28,  1911. 

Samuel  Chester  Reid,  an  American  naval  officer,  born  in 


JANUARY  123 

Norwich,  Conn.,  August  25,  1773 ;  died  in  New  York  City, 
January  28,  1861.  (In  1818  Captain  Reid  suggested  the 
present  plan  of  the  United  States  flag,  with  thirteen  stripes 
instead  of  fifteen,  and  an  additional  star  for  each  new 
state.  In  1859  Congress  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  him 
as  the  designer  of  the  flag.) 

29    CHARACTER 

Character  is  what  God  and  the  angels  know  of  us; 
reputation  is  what  men  and  women  think  of  us. 

— Horace  Mann 

Birthdays:  William  McKinley,  twenty-fifth  president 
of  the  United  States,  born  at  Niles,  Ohio,  January  29,  1844 ; 
shot  by  an  assassin  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  September  6  and  died 
September  14,  1901. 

Henry  Lee  (Light  Horse  Harry,  as  he  was  called  and  the 
father  of  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee),  a  noted  American  general, 
born  in  Virginia,  January  29,  1756;  died  at  Cumberland 
Island,  Ga.,  March  25,  1818.  (When  Washington  died 
Henry  Lee  was  chosen  by  Congress  to  write  an  eulogy  on 
him ;  in  it  occur  the  famous  words,  ' '  First  in  war,  first  in 
peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen.") 

30    GOLDEN  DEEDS 

As  one  lamp  lights  another  nor  grows  less, 
So  nobleness  enkindleth  nobleness. 

— From  "Yussouf,"  by  Lowell 

INFLUENCE  OF  GOOD  DEEDS  AND  WORDS 

BY    CHARLES    MACKAY 

A  TRAVELER  through  a  dusty  road, 

Strewed  acorns  on  the  lea; 
And  one  took  root  and  sprouted  up, 

And  grew  into  a  tree. 
Love  sought  its  shade,  at  evening  time, 


124  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

To  breathe  its  early  vows; 
And  Age  was  pleased,  in  heats  of  noon, 

To  bask  beneath  its  boughs : 
The  dormouse  loved  its  dangling  twigs, 

The  birds  sweet  music  bore ; 
It  stood,  a  glory  in  its  place, 

A  blessing  evermore! 

A  little  spring  had  lost  its  way 

Amid  the  grass  and  fern, 
A  passing  stranger  scooped  a  well, 

Where  weary  men  might  turn; 
He  walled  it  in,  and  hung  with  care 

A  ladle  at  the  brink ; 
He  thought  not  of  the  deed  he  did. 

But  judged  that  toil  might  drink. 
He  passed  again, — and,  lo !  the  well, 

By  summers  never  dried, 
Had  cooled  ten  thousand  parching  tongues, 

And  saved  a  life  beside ! 

A  dreamer  dropped  a  random  thought, 
'Twas  old,  and  yet  was  new, 
A  simple  fancy  of  the  brain. 

But  strong  in  being  true; 
It  shone  upon  a  genial  mind. 

And,  lo !  its  light  became 
A  lamp  of  life,  a  beacon  ray, 

A  monitory  flame: 
The  thought  was  small ;  its  issue  great, 

A  watch-fire  on  the  hill; 
It  sheds  its  radiance  far  ado\Mi, 

And  cheers  the  valley  still! 

A  nameless  man  amid  a  crowd 
That  thronged  the  daily  mart. 


JANUARY  125 

Let  fall  a  word  of  Hope  and  Love, 

Unstudied  from  the  heart; 
A  whisper  on  the  tumult  thrown, — 

A  transitory  breath, — 
It  raised  a  brother  from  the  dust, 

It  saved  a  soul  from  death. 
O  germ!  O  fount!  O  word  of  love! 

O  thought  at  random  cast ! 
Ye  were  but  little,  at  the  first, 

But  mighty,  at  the  last ! 

31    LIBRARY  DAY 

We  should  make  the  same  use  of  books  that  the  bee 
does  of  a  flower;  he  gathers  sweets  from  it,  but  does 
not  injure  it. 

A  LITTLE  GIRL'S  IDEAL  PARTY 

BY  ISABEL  YEOMANS  BROWN 

I'd  like  to  give  a  party  some  lovely  summer  day. 

When  the  air  is  warm  and  fragrant  with  the  scent  of  new- 
mown  hay, 

When  song-birds  warbling  blithely  and  brooklets  running 
free 

And  busy  little  insects  all  join  in  minstrelsy. 

And  who  would  be  invited  ?  First,  that  thoughtful  little  boy 
With  the  heart  so  sweet  and  loving — I  mean  Lord  Faunt- 

leroy ; 
Juanita  and  her  brother;  kind  little  Sara  Crewe, 
And  Dorothy  and  Donald  and  a  host  of  others  too. 

Yes,  all  the  story  people — "Little  Women,"  "Little  Men;" 
And  all  Miss  Alcott's  people — the  children  of  her  pen. 
And  when  it  came  to  parting  I'm  sure  we'd  all  agree 
We  had  ne'er  before  attended  such  a  pleasant  company. 


126     MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Read:  "The  Book,"  in  Forman's  Stones  of  Useful  In- 
ventions; "The  First  Printer"  in  Baldwin's  Thirty  More 
Famous  Stories  Retold;  "The  Printing  Press,"  in  Howry's 
American  Inventions  and  Inventors. 

Sing:  "Come,  Come,  Come,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best 
Primary  Songs;  "Let's  Higher  Climb,"  from  TJncle  Sam's 

School  Songs. 

Birthdaj^s:  Franz  Schubert,  a  celebrated  German 
musician,  born  near  Vienna,  Austria,  January  31,  1797; 
died  November  19,  1828. 

James  G.  Blaine,  an  American  statesman ;  born  at  "West 
Brownsville,  Pa.,  January  31,  1830 ;  died  January  27,  1893. 


FEBRUARY 


1    KNOWLEDGE 

If  we  do  not  plant  knowledge  when  young,  it  will  give 
us  no  shade  when  we  are  old. — Lord  Chesterfield 

HOW  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  TAUGHT  HIMSELF 

When  Abraham  Lincoln  was  young  he  had  not  the 
chance  which  the  boys  and  girls  of  to-day  have  of  attending 
school.  But  he  was  very  anxious  to  learn,  and  wherever 
he  was,  at  every  chance  he  could  get,  he  was  reading  or 
studying. 

In  the  winter  evenings  he  sat  in  the  chimney-corner  and 
ciphered  on  the  wooden  fire-shovel,  by  the  light  of  the 
blazing  logs.  When  the  shovel  was  covered  with  figures,  he 
would  shave  them  off  with  his  father's  knife  and  begin 
again. 

"He  read  every  book  he  could  lay  hands  on,"  said  his 
step-mother ;  and  when  he  came  across  a  passage  that  struck 
him,  he  would  wTite  it  on  boards,  if  he  had  no  paper,  and 
keep  it  there  until  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  get  some 
paper.  Then  he  would  look  at  it,  write  it,  and  repeat  it 
until  he  committed  it  to  memory. 

Birthday :  David  Porter,  an  American  naval  commander, 
bom  in  Boston,  Mass.,  February  1,  1780;  died  in  Con- 
stantinople, Turkey,  March  28,  1843. 

2    A  WONDERFUL  WEAVER 

There's  a  wonderful  weaver 

High  up  in  the  air, 
And  he  weaves  a  white  mantle 

For  cold  earth  to  wear. 


128  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

With   the   wind   for   his    shuttle, 

The  cloud  for  his  loom, 
How  he  weaves,  how  he  weaves, 

In  the  light,  in  the  gloom. 
— From  "A  Wonderful  Weaver"  by  George  Cooper 

3    COMPANY 

Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together. — B.  Burton 

BAD  COMPANY 

A  farmer's  corn  was  destroyed  by  cranes  that  fed  in 
his  field.  Greatly  annoyed,  he  declared  that  he  would  find 
a  way  out  of  the  trouble.  A  net  was  set  in  which  the 
cranes  were  snared.  There  was  also  a  beautiful  stork 
among  them  who  had  been  visiting  with  the  cranes,  and  had 
come  to  them  from  a  neighboring  roof. 

' '  Spare  me, ' '  pleaded  the  stork.  "  I  am  innocent ;  indeed 
I  am.    I  never  touched  any  of  your  belongings. ' ' 

"That  may  be  true,"  answered  the  farmer;  "but  I  find 
you  among  thieves  and  I  judge  you  accordingly." 

The  only  safe  way  is  to  keep  out  of  bad  company. 

Read:  "Good  and  Bad  Apples,"  from  Scudder's 
Stories  From  My  Attic. 

Birthdays:  Albert  Sidney  Johnston,  an  American 
soldier,  born  at  Washington,  Ky.,  February  3,  1803;  killed 
at  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  April  6,  1862. 

Joseph  Eccleston  Jolmston,  an  American  general,  born 
in  Prince  Edward  Coimty,  Va.,  February  3,  1807;  died  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  March  21,  1891. 

Felix  Mendelssohn,  a  famous  German  musician,  bom  in 
Hamburg,  Germany,  February  3,  1809;  died  in  Leipsie, 
Germany,  November  4,  1847. 

Horace  Greeley,  a  noted  American  writer,  born  at  Am- 
herst, N.  H.,  February  3,  1811 ;  died  November  29,  1872. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Arizona  (Friday  following 
first  day  of  February  or  April).  (See  Arbor  Day,  April  19 
and  20,  this  book.) 


FEBRUARY  129 

4    COUETESY 

To  be  polite  is  to  do  and  say 

The   kindest   tilings   in   the   kindest   way. 

THE  READY  ANSWER 

A  VERY  wealthy  man,  arriving  in  Boston,  was  met  by  a 
dirty-faced  boy,  who  was  shouting:  "Morning  paper,  two 
cents!" 

The  man  bought  a  paper  and  gave  the  boy  in  payment 
a  five-cent  piece.  While  the  boy  was  getting  the  change,  the 
man  said,  "Keep  the  three  cents  and  buy  a  cake  of  soap 
with  which  to  wash  your  face." 

The  boy  had  by  this  time  found  the  money,  which  he 
handed  to  the  man,  saying:  "Take  the  money  and  buy  a 
book  on  politeness." 

The  man  M'as  very  much  ashamed  of  himself  and  hurried 
away,  while  those  near  by  smiled  at  the  boy 's  ready  answer. 

Read :  "For  the  Little  Boy  Who  Will  Not  Say  Please," 
from  Burt's  Stories  from  Plato. 

5    PEESEVERANCE 

The  fisher  who  draws  in  his  net  too  soon 

Won't  have  any  fish  to  sell; 
The  child  wlio  shuts  up  his  book  too  soon 

Won't  learn  any  lessons  well. 

—Ibid 

Read:  "Bernard  of  Tuileries"  and  "A  Tribune  of  the 
People,"  from  Marden's  Stories  from  Life:  Bible,  Luke 
9:62. 

Sing:  "In  Life's  Morning,"  from  School  Song  Knap- 
sack. 

Birthday's :  Ole  Borneman  Bull,  a  noted  Norwegian  vio- 
linist, born  at  Bergen,  Norway,  February  5,  1810;  died 
August  17,  1880. 

Dwight  Lyman  ]\Ioody,  an  American  revival  preacher, 


130  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

born  at  Northfield,  Mass.,  February  5,  1837 ;  died  at  East 
Northfield,  December  22,  1899. 

6  COUEAGE 

I  dare  do  all  that  may  become  a  man;  who  dares  do 
more  is  none. — Shakespeare 

TEN  THINGS  TO  REMEMBER 

There  are  ten  things  for  which  no  one  has  ever  yet  been 
sorry.  These  are:  For  doing  good  to  all;  for  speaking 
evil  of  none;  for  hearing  before  judging;  for  thinking 
before  speaking;  for  holding  an  angry  tongue;  for  being 
kind  to  the  distressed ;  for  asking  pardon  for  all  wrongs ; 
for  being  patient  towards  everybody ;  for  stopping  the  ears 
to  a  talebearer;  for  disbelieving  most  of  the  ill  reports. 

— Selected 

Birthday:  Sir  Henry  Irving,  a  noted  English  actor, 
bom  at  Keinton,  England,  February  6,  1838;  died  at  Brad- 
ford, England,  October  13,  1905.  [His  real  name  was  John 
Henry  Brodribb.] 

7  SUCCESS 

It  is  when  our  budding  hopes  are  nipped  beyond  re- 
covery by  Bonie  rough  wind,  that  we  are  the  most 
disposed  to  picture  to  ourselves  what  flowers  they  might 
have  borne  if  they  had  flourished. — Dickens 

"WHATEVER  IS  WORTH  DOING" 

Once  when  Charles  Dickens  was  asked  for  the  secret  of 
his  success,  he  replied  that  it  was  due  to  hard  work  and  a 
motto  which  he  had  faithfully  tried  to  live  up  to:  "What- 
ever is  worth  doing  is  worth  doing  well."  His  son  said  of 
him:  "Whatever  he  did,  he  put  his  whole  heart  into,  and 
did  as  well  as  he  could.  Whether  it  was  for  work  or  for 
play,  he  was  always  in  earnest."    One  of  Dickens'  sayings 


FEBRUARY  13 X 

was:    "Boys,  do  all  the  good  you  can,  and  don't  make  any 
fuss  about  it. ' ' 

Read:  Dickens'  David  Copperfield,  which  is  almost  the 
true  story  of  Dickens'  own  life;  Pickwick  Papers;  Oliver 
Twist;  Nicholas  Nicklehy;  The  Old  Curiosity  Shop;  A 
Christmas  Carol;  also  "Dickens  in  Camp,"  by  Bret  Harte. 

Birthday:  Charles  Dickens,  a  famous  English  writer 
of  novels  and  one  of  the  world's  greatest  story-tellers,  born 
at  Landport,  England,  February  7,  1812;  died  at  his  home, 
called  Gadshill,  near  Rochester,  England,  Jime  9,  1870. 

8    WORTH 

A  thing  is  worth  precisely  what  it  can  do  for  you, 
not  what  you  choose  to  pay  for  it. — Rusk  in 

Read:     Ruskin's  The  King  of  the  Golden  River. 

Birthdays:  John  Ruskin,  a  famous  English  art  critic 
and  author,  born  in  London,  England,  February  8,  1819 ; 
died  at  Brantwood,  England,  January  20,  1900. 

"William  Tecumseh  Sherman,  an  American  general,  born 
at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  February  8,  1820;  died  in  New  York 
City,  February  14,  1891. 

Richard  Watson  Gilder,  an  American  poet,  born  at  Bor- 
dentown,  N.  J.,  February  8,  1844 ;  died  November  18,  1909. 

9    WORK 

The  genius  of  success  is  still  the  genius  of  labor. 

— Oarfield 

A  DAWNING  DAY 

BY   THOMAS  CARLYLE 

So  here  hath  been  dawning 
Another  blue  day. 
Think !    Wilt  thou  let  it 
Slip  useless  away? 


132  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Out  of  Eternity 
This  new  day  is  born ; 
Into  Eternity 
At  night  doth  return. 

Behold  it  beforehand 
No  eye  ever  did; 
So  soon  it  forever 
From  all  eyes  is  hid. 

Here  hath  been  dawning 
Another  blue  da5\ 
Think !  wilt  thou  let  it 
Slip  useless  away? 

Read:  "Training  for  Greatness,"  from  Marden's  Sto- 
ries from  Life. 

Sing:     "The  Work  of  the  Week,"  from  Songs  hi  Season. 

Birthdays:  William  Henry  Harrison,  ninth  president 
of  the  United  States,  born  in  Berkeley,  Va.,  February  9, 
1773;  died  in  Washington,  D.  C,  just  one  month  after 
taking  the  oath  of  office,  April  4,  1841. 

George  Ade,  an  American  author  and  playwright,  born 
in  Kentland,  Ind.,  February  9,  1866;  living  at  Hazelden 
Farm,  Brook,  Ind. 

Paul  Laurence  Dimbar,  an  American  poet  of  African 
descent,  born  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  June  27,  1872 ;  died  at  Dun- 
bar, Ohio,  February  9,  1906. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Louisiana.  (See  Arbor 
Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

10    GOODNESS 

The    plainest    face    has    beauty, 

If  the  owner's  kind  and  true; 
And  that's  the  kind  of  beauty 

My  boy  and  girl,  for  you. 


FEBRUARY  I33 

"THE  HANDSOMEST  MAN  I  EVER  SAW" 

Among  the  many  stories  told  of  President  Lincoln  the 
following  deserves  a  worthy  place :  Hon.  Thaddeus  Stevens 
called  M^ith  an  elderly  lady  in  great  trouble,  whose  son  had 
been  in  the  army,  but  for  some  offense  had  been  court- 
martialed  and  sentenced  either  to  death  or  imprisonment. 
After  a  full  hearing,  the  President  proceeded  to  execute 
the  paper  granting  pardon.  The  gratitude  of  the  mother 
was  too  deep  for  expression,  save  by  her  tears,  and  not  a 
word  was  said  between  her  and  Mr.  Stevens  until  they 
were  half  way  dovra  the  stairs  when  she  suddenly  broke 
forth  in  an  excited  manner  with  the  words,  * '  I  knew  it  was 
a  copperhead  lie!"  "What  do  you  refer  to,  madam?" 
asked  Mr.  Stevens.  "Why,  they  told  me  he  was  an  ugly- 
looking  man,"  she  replied,  with  vehemence.  "He  is  the 
handsomest  man  I  ever  saw  in  my  life ! ' ' 

11    PEESEVERANCE 

strongest   minds 
Are  often  those  of  AA'liom  the  noisy  world 
Hears    least.  — Wordsworth 

THE  STORY  OF  EDISON 

Thomas  A.  Edison  was  born  a  poor  boy.  He  received 
but  little  education,  and  w^hen  quite  young  became  a  news- 
boy on  a  railroad  train.  Becoming  interested  in  chemistry, 
he  fitted  up  a  small  laboratory  in  one  of  the  cars,  where  he 
tried  experiments ;  but  one  day  he  came  near  setting  fire  to 
the  train,  and  as  a  consequence  he  and  his  whole  outfit  were 
kicked  out  by  the  conductor.  He  then  got  some  old  type 
and  began  printing  a  little  newspaper  of  his  own,  which 
he  sold  on  the  trains. 

Having  become  acquainted  with  the  telegraph  operators 
along  the  line,  he  learned  how  to  telegraph,  and  got  a  place 
in  a  telegraph  office.  Here  again  he  tried  so  many  experi- 
ments and  attempted  so  many  things  thought  to  be  im- 


134  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

possible,  that  he  soon  got  the  name  of  "Looney"  (for  luna- 
tic) and  lost  his  situation.  This  did  not  discourage  him, 
and  he  became  so  skillful  an  operator  that  he  was  given 
the  best  place  in  the  telegraph  office  in  Boston.  After  ex- 
perimenting a  long  time  IMr.  Edison  discovered  a  way  of 
sending  several  telegraphic  messages  at  one  time  over  the 
same  wires.  He  also  made  many  improvements  in  the 
telephone  and  in  electric  light;  but  his  greatest  invention 
is  the  phonograph. 

Read:  Habberton's  Poor  Boys'  Chances;  Hamilton 
Wright  Mabie's  Men  Who  Have  Risen;  Macomber's  Stones 
of  Great  Inventors. 

Sing :  * '  Work,  for  the  Night  is  Coming, ' '  from  American 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Daniel  Boone,  an  American  hunter  and 
pioneer,  born  in  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  February  11,  1735; 
died  in  Missouri.  September  26,  1820. 

Thomas  A.  Edison,  an  American  inventor,  born  in  Milan, 
Ohio,  February  11,  1847;  lives  at  Llewellyn  Park,  West 
Orange,  N.  J. 

12    ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

Great  captains,   with   their   guns   and   drums, 

Disturb  our  judgment  for  the  hour, 
But  at  last  silence  comes; 

These  all   are  gone,  iuul,  standing  like  a  tower, 
Our  children  shall  bohohl  liis  fame: 

The  kindly-earnest,  brave,  foreseeing  man, 
Sagacious,   patient,   dreading  praise,   not  blame, 

New  birth  of  our  new  soil,   the   first  American. 

— James  Russell   Lowell 

THE  SOLDIER'S  REPRIEVE 

MES.  R.   D.    C.   BOBBINS 
PART  I 

''I  THOUGHT,  ]\Ir.  Allan,  when  I  gave  my  Bennie  to  his 
country,  that  not  a  father  in  all  this  broad  land  made  so 


FEBRUARY  135 

precious  a  gift — no,  not  one.  The  dear  boy  only  slept  a 
minute,  just  one  little  minute,  at  his  post.  I  know  that 
was  all,  for  Bennie  never  dozed  over  a  duty.  How  prompt 
and  reliable  he  was!  I  know  he  only  slept  one  little 
second; — he  was  so  young,  and  not  strong,  that  boy  of 
mine !  Why,  he  was  as  tall  as  I,  and  only  eighteen !  And 
now  they  shoot  him — because  he  was  found  asleep  when 
doing  sentinel-duty.  'Twenty-four  hours,'  the  telegram 
said.    Only  twenty-four  hours !    Where  is  Bennie  now!" 

"We  will  hope,  with  his  Heavenly  Father,"  said  Mr. 
Allan,  soothingly. 

* '  Yes,  yes ;  let  us  hope.  God  is  very  merciful !  *  I  should 
be  ashamed,  father,'  Bennie  said,  'when  I  am  a  man,  to 
think  I  never  used  this  great  right  arm'  (and  he  held  it 
out  so  proudly  before  me)  'for  my  country,  when  it  needed 
it.  Palsy  it,  rather  than  keep  it  at  the  plow. '  '  Go,  then — 
go,  my  boy,'  I  said,  'and  God  keep  you!'  God  has  kept 
him,  I  think,  Mr.  Allan." 

"Like  the  apple  of  his  eye,  Mr.  Owen;  doubt  it  not." 

Little  Blossom  sat  near  them,  listening,  Avith  blanched 
cheek.  She  had  not  shed  a  tear.  Her  anxiety  had  been 
so  concealed  that  no  one  had  noticed  it.  Now  she  answered 
a  gentle  tap  at  the  kitchen  door,  opening  it  to  receive  a 
letter  from  a  neighbor's  hand.  "It  is  from  him,"  w'as  all 
she  said. 

It  was  like  a  message  from  the  dead !  Mr.  Owen  took  the 
letter,  but  could  not  break  the  envelope  on  account  of  his 
trembling  fingers,  and  held  it  toward  Mr.  Allan,  with  the 
helplessness  of  a  child. 

The  minister  opened  it,  and  read  as  follows: — 

"Dear  Father:  When  this  reaches  you — I — shall — be 
in — eternity.  At  first  it  seemed  awful  to  me ;  but  I  have 
thought  about  it  so  much  now,  that  it  has  no  terror.  They 
say  they  will  not  bind  me  nor  blind  me,  but  that  I  may 
meet  my  death  like  a  man.    I  thought,  father,  it  might  have 


136  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

been  on  the  battlefield  for  my  country,  and  that,  when  I 
fell,  it  would  be  fighting  gloriously;  but  to  be  shot  down 
like  a  dog  for  nearly  betraying  it — to  die  for  neglect  of 
duty ! — oh,  father,  I  wonder  the  very  thought  does  not  kill 
me !  But  I  shall  not  disgrace  you.  I  am  going  to  write  you 
all  about  it;  and,  when  I  am  gone,  you  may  tell  my  com- 
rades. I  can  not  now.  You  know  I  promised  Jimmie 
Carr's  mother  I  would  look  after  her  boy;  and,  when  he 
fell  sick,  I  did  all  I  could  for  him.  He  was  not  strong  when 
ordered  back  into  the  ranks,  and  the  day  before  that  night  I 
carried  all  his  luggage,  besides  my  own,  on  our  march. 
Toward  night  we  went  in  on  double-quick,  and  though  the 
luggage  began  to  feel  very  heavy,  everybody''  else  was  tired 
too.  And  as  for  Jimmie,  if  I  had  not  lent  him  an  arm  now 
and  then,  he  would  have  dropped  by  the  way.  I  was  all 
tired  out  when  we  went  into  camp,  and  then  it  was  Jimmie 's 
turn  to  be  sentry,  and  I  would  take  his  place ;  but  I  was  too 
tired,  father.  I  could  not  have  kept  awake  if  a  gun  had 
been  pointed  at  my  head;  but  I  did  not  know  it  until — 
well — until  it  was  too  late." 

"God  be  thanked!"  said  Mr.  Owen.  "I  laiew  Bennie 
was  not  the  boy  to  sleep  carelessly  at  his  post." 

"They  tell  me,  to-day,  that  I  have  a  short  reprieve — 
'time  to  write  to  you,'  our  good  colonel  says.  Forgive  him, 
father;  he  only  does  his  duty;  he  would  gladly  save  me 
if  he  could.  And  do  not  lay  my  death  up  against  Jimmie. 
The  poor  boy  is  broken-hearted,  and  does  nothing  but  beg 
and  entreat  them  to  let  him  die  in  my  stead. 

"I  can't  bear  to  think  of  mother  and  Blossom.  Comfort 
them,  father !  Tell  them  I  die  as  a  brave  boy  should,  and 
that,  when  the  war  is  over,  they  will  not  be  ashamed  of  me, 
as  they  must  be  now.  God  help  me ;  it  is  very  hard  to  bear ! 
Good-by,  father!  God  seems  near  and  dear  to  me,  as  if 
he  felt  sorry  for  his  poor,  broken-hearted  child,  and  would 
take  me  to  be  with  him — in  a  better,  better  life. 

"To-night  I  shall  see  the  cows  all  coming  home  from 


FEBRUARY  I37 

pasture,  and  precious  little  Blossom  standing  on  the  back 
stoop,  waiting  for  me;  but — I — shall  never — never — come! 
God  bless  you  all !    Forgive  your  poor  Bennie. ' ' 

PART    II 

Late  that  night  a  little  figure  glided  dowTi  the  foot-path 
toward  the  ]\Iill  Depot.  The  conductor,  as  he  reached  down 
to  lift  her  into  the  car,  wondered  at  the  tear-stained  face 
that  was  upturned  toward  the  dim  lantern  he  held  in  his 
hand. 

A  few  questions  and  ready  answers  told  him  all;  and 
no  father  could  have  cared  more  tenderly  for  his  only 
child,  than  he  for  our  little  Blossom.  She  was  on  her  way 
to  Washington,  to  ask  President  Lincoln  for  her  brother's 
life.  She  had  brought  Bennie 's  letter  with  her;  no  good, 
kind  heart,  like  the  President's,  could  refuse  to  be  melted 
by  it. 

The  next  morning  they  reached  New  York,  and  the  con- 
ductor hurried  her  on  to  Washington.  Every  minute,  now, 
might  be  the  means  of  saving  her  brother's  life. 

The  President  had  but  just  seated  himself  to  his  even- 
ing's task,  when  the  door  softly  opened,  and  Blossom,  with 
downcast  eyes  and  folded  hands,  stood  before  him. 

"Well,  my  child,"  he  said,  in  his  pleasant,  cheerful 
tones,  "what  do  you  want?" 

" Bennie 's  life,  please,  sir,"  faltered  Blossom. 

* '  Bennie  !    Who  is  Bennie  ? ' ' 

"My  brother,  sir.  They  are  going  to  shoot  him  for 
sleeping  at  his  post." 

"Oh,  yes;  I  remember.  It  was  a  fatal  sleep.  You  see, 
child,  it  was  a  time  of  special  danger.  Thousands  of  lives 
might  have  been  lost  by  his  negligence." 

"So  my  father  said,"  replied  Blossom,  gravel3^  "But 
poor  Bennie  was  so  tired,  sir,  and  Jimmie  so  weak.  He  did 
the  work  of  two,  sir,  and  it  was  Jimmie 's  night,  not  his; 


138  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

but  Jimmie  was  too  tired,  and  Bennie  never  thought  about 
himself,  that  he  was  tired  too." 

''What  is  this  you  say,  child?  Come  here;  I  do  not 
understand."  And  the  kind  man,  as  ever,  caught  eagerly 
at  what  seemed  to  be  a  justification  of  an  offense. 

Blossom  went  to  him.  He  put  his  hand  tenderly  on  her 
shoulder,  and  turned  up  the  pale,  anxious  face  toward 
his.  How  tall  he  seemed!  And  he  was  President  of  the 
United  States,  too !  A  dim  thought  of  this  kind  passed  for 
a  moment  through  Blossom's  mind ;  but  she  told  her  simple, 
straightforward  story,  and  handed  Bennie 's  letter  to  Mr. 
Lincoln  to  read. 

He  read  it  carefully;  then,  taking  up  his  pen,  wrote  a 
few  hasty  lines  and  rang  his  bell.  Blossom  heard  this 
order  given:    "Send  this  dispatch  at  once." 

The  President  then  turned  to  the  girl,  and  said:  "Go 
home,  my  child,  and  tell  that  father  of  yours,  who  could 
approve  his  country's  sentence,  even  when  it  took  the  life 
of  a  child  like  that,  that  Abraham  Lincoha  thinks  the  life 
far  too  precious  to  be  lost.  Go  back,  or — wait  until  to- 
morrow ;  Bennie  will  need  a  change  after  he  has  so  bravely 
faced  death;  he  shall  go  with  you." 

* '  God  bless  you,  sir ! ' '  said  Blossom. 

Two  days  after  this  interview,  the  young  soldier  came 
to  the  White  House  with  his  little  sister.  He  was  called 
into  the  President's  private  room,  and  a  strap  fastened 
upon  his  shoulder.  Mr.  Lincoln  then  said:  "The  soldier 
that  could  carry  a  sick  comrade's  baggage,  and  die  for  the 
act  so  uncomplainingly,  deserves  well  of  his  country." 

Then  Bennie  and  Blossom  took  their  way  to  their  Green- 
Mountain  home.  A  crowd  gathered  at  the  ]\Iill  Depot  to 
welcome  them  back ;  and,  as  Farmer  Owen 's  hand  grasped 
that  of  his  boy,  tears  flowed  down  his  cheeks,  and  he  was 
heard  to  say  fervently,  "The  Lord  be  praised!" 

Leai'n:    "The  Gettysburg  Address." 


FEBRUARY  139 

Eead:  Speeches  by  Lincoln;  "Abraham  Lincoln,"  from 
Our  Holidays:  Retold  froyn  St.  Nicholas;  Arnold's  Life  of 
Abraham  Lincoln;  Baldwin's  Abraham  Lincoln;  "Training 
for  Greatness,"  in  Marden's  Stories  from  Life.  The  Per- 
fect Tribute,  by  Andrews.  For  tributes  in  verse,  songs, 
entertainment,  etc.,  procure  a  copy  of  Sindelar's  Lincoln 
Day  Entertainments. 

Sing:  "Lincoln,"  from  Songs  in  Season,  and 
"America." 

Birthdays:  Cotton  Mather,  a  famous  New  England 
divine  and  author,  bom  in  Boston,  ]\Iass.,  Februaiy  12, 
1663 ;  died  in  Boston,  February  13,  1728. 

Tadensz  (Thaddeus)  Kosciuszko,  a  Polish  patriot,  born 
near  Xovogrudek,  in  Lithuania.  February  12,  1746;  died 
in  Solothurn,  Switzerland,  October  15,  1817.  (Was  aide- 
de-camp  to  General  Washington,  and  served  with  honor 
until  the  end  of  the  Revolution,  when  he  went  back  to  his 
native  country.) 

Abraham  Lincoln,  sixteenth  president  of  the  United 
States,  born  in  Hardin  County,  Ky.,  February  12,  1809; 
shot  by  an  assassin  [John  Wilkes  Booth]  at  Ford's  Theater, 
Washington,  April  14,  1865.  and  died  the  following  day. 

Charles  R.  Darwin,  an  English  writer  on  natural  his- 
tory, born  in  Shrewsbury,  England,  February  12,  1809; 
died  at  Down,  Kent,  England,  April  19,  1882. 

George  Meredith,  an  English  novelist  and  poet,  born  in 
Hampshire,  England.  February  12,  1828,  died  at  Boxhill, 
Surrey,  England,  May  18,  1909. 

13    ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

[Continued] 

My  captain  does  not  answer,  his  lips  are  pale  and  atill; 

My  father  does  not  feel  my  arm,  he  has  no  pulse  nor  will: 

The  ship  is  anchored   safe  and  sound,  its  voyage   closed  and  done; 

From  fearful   trip,   the  victor   ship   comes   in,   with   object  won; 


140  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Exult,   0   shores;    and   ring,   O  bells! 

But  I,  with  mournful  tread, 
Walk  the  deck;  my  captain  lies, 

Fallen,  cold,  and  dead. 

—Walt  Whitman,  1865 

"HE  BELONGS  TO  THE  AGES" 

Lincoln,  who  was  shot  a  little  after  ten  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  lingered,  unconscious,  until  early  the  next  morn- 
ing. When  his  spirit  passed  away,  Secretary  Stanton  was 
the  first  to  break  the  silence  by  saying,  "Now  he  belongs  to 
the  ages."  The  grief  of  the  people  for  the  Nation's  hero 
was  well-nigh  universal. 

Kead:  Anecdotes  pertaining  to  Lincoln  given  elsewhere 
in  this  book.     (See  index.) 

14    ST.  VALENTINE'S  DAY 

Every  joy  that  heart  can  hold 

Be  thine   this   day   a   thousandfold. 

THE  DAY 

Custom  decrees  that  on  this  day  the  young  shall  exchange 
missives  in  which  the  love  of  the  sender  is  told  in  verses, 
pictures  and  sentiment.  No  reason  beyond  a  guess  can 
be  given  to  connect  St.  Valentine  with  these  customs.  He 
was  a  Christian  martyr,  about  270  a.  d.,  while  the  practice 
of  sending  valentines  had  its  origin  in  the  heathen  worship 
of  Juno.  It  is  Cupid's  day,  and  no  boy  or  girl  needs  any 
encouragement  to  make  the  most  of  it. — Our  Holidays 

Read:  "Who  Began  It,"  from  Our  Holidays:  Retold 
from  St.  Nicholas. 

Sing:    "Valentine  Day,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthdays :  Sir  William  Blackstone,  author  of  a  famous 
law-book  called  Commentaries  of  the  Laivs  of  England, 


FEBRUARY  141 

bom  in  London,  England,  July  10,  1723 ;  died  February  14, 
1780. 

Winfield  Scott  Hancock,  an  American  general,  born  in 
Montgomery  County,  Pa.,  February  14,  1824;  died  at 
Governor's  Island,  N.  Y.,  February  9,  1886. 

Special  Day:    St.  Valentine's  Day. 

15    FRIENDS 

On  the  choice  of  friends 
Our  good   or   evil  name   depends. 

—Gay 

Birthdays:  Galileo,  an  Italian  philosopher  and  mathe- 
matician, born  at  Pisa,  Italy,  February  15,  1564;  died  at 
Arcetri,  near  Florence,  Italy,  January  8,  1642, 

Cyrus  Hall  McCormiek,  an  American  inventor,  born  at 
Walnut  Grove,  Va.,  February  15,  1809;  died  in  Chicago, 
111.,  May  13,  1884. 

16    PEESEVERANCE 

Everything    comes   to    him   who   waits — and    hustles 
while  he  waits. 

DON'T  GIVE  UP 

BY   PHCEBE   CARY 

If  youVe  tried  and  have  not  won, 

Never  stop  for  crying; 
All  that's  great  and  good  is  done 

Just  by  patient  trying. 

Though  young  birds,  in  flying,  fall, 
Still  their  wings  grow  stronger ; 

And  the  next  time  they  can  keep 
Up  a  little  longer. 


142  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Though  the  sturdy  oak  has  known 

Many  a  blast  that  bowed  her, 
She  has  risen  again,  and  grown 

Loftier  and  prouder. 

If  by  easy  work  you  beat, 

Who  the  more  will  prize  you? 
Gaining  victory  from  defeat, 

That's  the  test  that  tries  you! 

Birthday :  Ernst  H.  Haeckel,  a  noted  German  naturalist, 
born  at  Potsdam,  Prussia,  Februaiy  16,  1834. 

17    A  GOOD  NAME 

He  who  steals  my  purse  steals  trash, 
But  he  that  filches   from  me  my  good  name 
Robs  me  of  that  which  not  enriches  him, 
And  makes  me  poor  indeed. 

— Shakespeare 

18    DEVOTION 

He  prayeth  well,  who  loveth  well 

Both  man  and  bird  and   beast. 

He  prayeth  best  who  loveth  best 

All  things  both  great  and  small, 

For  the  dear  God  who  loveth  us — 

He  made  and  loveth  all. 

— From  "Ancient  Mariner"  hy  Coleridge 

CHARLES  AND  jMARY  LA]\IB 

No  MAN  was  more  sympathetic  than  Charles  Lamb.  He 
led  a  brave  life.  His  sister  Mary  had  times  when  she  lost 
her  reason,  and  at  one  of  these  times  she  actually  killed  her 
own  mother.  Charles,  who  was  at  this  time  but  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  resolved  to  sacrifice  his  life  to  his  "poor, 
dear,  dearest  sister,"  and  voluntarily  became  her  com- 
panion. He  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  home  and  society. 
Under  the  strong  influence  of  duty,  he  renounced  the  only 


FEBRUARY  143 

attachment  he  had  ever  formed.  With  an  income  of 
scarcely  five  hundred  dollars  a  year,  he  trod  the  journey 
of  life  alone,  fortified  by  his  attachment  for  his  sister. 
Neither  pleasure  nor  toil  ever  diverted  him  from  his  pur- 
pose. 

When  released  from  the  asylum,  Mary  devoted  part  of 
her  time  to  the  composition  of  the  Tales  from  Shakespeare, 
and  other  works.  When  she  felt  a  fit  of  insanity  coming 
on,  Charles  would  take  her  imder  his  arm  and  together 
they  would  walk  sadly  across  the  fields  to  the  asylum. 

When  she  had  recovered  her  reason,  she  went  home  again 
to  her  brother,  who  joyfully  received  her — treating  her 
with  the  utmost  tenderness.  "God  loves  her,"  he  said; 
"may  we  two  never  love  each  other  less."  Their  affection 
continued  for  forty  years,  without  a  cloud,  except  such 
as  arose  from,  the  fluctuations  of  her  health. 

Read:  Selections  from  Tales  from  Shakespeare,  by 
Charles  and  Mary  Lamb;  "Damon  and  Pythias,"  as  given 
on  p.  32  of  this  book. 

Sing:  "The  Lord  is  My  Shepherd,"  from  American 
School  Songs. 

Birthday :  Charles  Lamb,  a  famous  English  writer,  born 
in  London,  England,  February  18,  1775 ;  died  in  Edmonton, 
England,  December  27,  1834. 


19    DEEDS 

A   man   of  words   and    not    of   deeds 
Is  like  a  garden  full  of  weeds. 

Birthdays:  Nikolaus  Copernicus,  a  famous  astronomer, 
born  in  Thorn,  Poland,  February  19,  1473 ;  died  at  Frauen- 
burg,  Prussia,  May  24,  1543. 

Edgar  Allen  Poe,  an  American  poet  and  story  writer, 
born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  February  19,  1809;  died  in  Balti- 
more, Md.,  October  7,  1849. 


144  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Adeline  Patti,  a  celebrated  Italian  opera  singer,  bom  in 
Madrid,  Spain,  February  19,  1843;  lives  in  Wales. 

20    INDUSTRY 

Plow    deep   while    sluggards    sleep,    and   you'll   have 
corn  to  sell  and  keep. — Franklin 

THE  IDLE  LITTLE  BOY 

There  was  once  an  idle  little  boy.  He  did  not  Imow 
much.  His  mother  sent  him  to  school.  He  did  not  wish  to 
go,  so  he  went  off  to  play. 

He  said,  "How  pretty  the  trees  look!  The  sun  shines 
and  the  birds  sing.    I  will  not  go  to  school.    I  will  play." 

Soon  he  saw  a  bee.  The  bee  flew  from  flower  to  flower. 
The  little  boy  said,  "Come  and  play  with  me." 

But  the  bee  said,  "No,  I  must  get  some  honey.  I  must 
not  be  idle."    So  he  flew  away. 

Then  the  little  boy  met  a  dog.  "Dog,  will  you  play  with 
me?"  he  said. 

But  the  dog  said,  "I  must  not  be  idle.  I  must  go  and 
catch  a  rabbit." 

Then  the  boy  saw  a  bird.  He  said,  "Birdie,  come  and 
play  with  me. ' ' 

But  the  bird  said,  "I  must  make  a  nest."  So  the  bird 
flew  away. 

Then  a  horse  came  along.  "Horse,  will  you  play  with 
me?" 

"No,  I  must  go  and  plough  the  field.  Then  we  can  have 
some  corn." 

"Oh,  dear!  I  will  go  to  school.  I  can't  play  alone,"  said 
the  boy.    So  off  he  went  to  school  and  learned  his  lessons. 

— Tweed's  Supplementary  Reader 

Birthdays:  David  Garrick,  an  English  actor,  born  in 
Hereford,  England,  February  20,  1716;  died  in  London, 
England,  January  20,  1779. 


FEBRUARY  I45 

Joseph  Jefferson,  a  noted  American  actor,  bom  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  February  20,  1829 ;  died  at  Palm  Beach,  Fla., 
April  23,  1905. 

21    PATRIOTISM 

Oh,    Washington!     thou    hero,    patriot,    sage, 
Friend  of  all   climes  and  pride  of  every  age! 

— Thomas  Paine 

THE  VETERAN  ARMY 

During  our  Revolutionary  War,  eighty  old  German  sol- 
diers, who,  after  having  long  served  under  different  mon- 
archs  in  Europe,  had  retired  to  America  and  converted 
their  swords  into  plowshares,  voluntarily  formed  them- 
selves into  a  company,  and  distinguished  themselves  in 
various  actions  in  the  cause  of  independence.  The  captain 
was  nearly  one  hundred  years  old,  had  been  in  the  army 
forty  years,  and  present  in  seventeen  battles.  The  drummer 
was  ninety-four,  and  the  youngest  man  in  the  corps  on  the 
verge  of  seventy. 

Instead  of  a  cockade,  each  man  wore  a  piece  of  black 
crape,  as  a  mark  of  sorrow  for  being  obliged,  at  so  advanced 
a  period  of  life,  to  bear  arms.  "But,"  said  the  veterans, 
"we  should  be  deficient  in  gratitude,  if  we  did  not  act  in 
defense  of  a  country  which  has  afforded  us  a  generous 
asylum,  and  protected  us  from  tyranny  and  oppression." 
Such  a  band  of  soldiers  never  before  perhaps  appeared  on 
the  field  of  battle. 

Read:    Bible,  Psalm  136. 

Sing:     "Washington,"  from  American  School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  John  Henry  Newman,  an  English  cardinal 
and  author,  born  in  London,  England,  February  21,  1801; 
died  at  Edgbaston,  England,  August  11,  1890. 

[James]  Bradner  Matthews,  an  American  author,  born 
in  New  Orleans,  La.,  February  21,  1852;  lives  in  New  York 
City. 


146  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

22    WASHINGTON'S  BIRTHDAY 

0    Washington!    thrice    glorious    name, 
What    due    rewards    can    man    decree — 

Empires   are   far   beloAv   thy   aim, 

And  scepters  have  no  charms  for  thee; 

Virtue  alone  has  your  regard, 

And  she  must  be  your  great  reward. 

— Philip   Freneau 

THE  INFLUENCE  OF  A  GREAT  NAME 

When  Washington  consented  to  act  as  commander-in- 
chief,  it  was  felt  as  if  the  strength  of  the  American  forces 
had  been  more  than  doubled.  Many  years  later,  in  1798, 
when  Washington,  grown  old,  had  withdrawn  from  public 
life  and  was  living  in  retirement  at  INIount  Vernon,  and 
when  it  seemed  probable  that  France  would  declare  war 
against  the  United  States,  President  Adams  wrote  to  him, 
saying,  "We  must  have  your  name,  if  you  will  permit  us 
to  use  it;  there  will  be  more  efficacy  in  it  than  in  many 
an  army."  Such  was  the  esteem  in  which  the  great  Presi- 
dent's noble  character  and  eminent  abilities  were  held  by 
his  countrymen! 

Read:  "Character  of  Washington,"  from  Cyr's  Fifth 
Reader;  "Our  Greatest  Patriot,"  from  Blaisdell  and  Ball's 
Hero  Tales  from  American  History;  "The  Boyhood  of 
Washington."  from  Our  Holidays:  Retold  from  St.  Nich- 
olas. Use  Sindelar's  Washington  Day  Entertainments  in 
preparing  an  entertainment  program. 

Sing:  "Washington  Song"  and  "The  First  Flag," 
from  Songs  in  Season ; ' '  Mount  Vernon  Bells, ' '  from  School 
Song  Knapsack. 

Birthda.ys:  George  Washington,  "The  Father  of  His 
Country"  and  first  president  of  the  United  States,  born  in 
Westmoreland  County,  Va.,  February  22,  1732;  died  at 
Mt.  Vernon,  Va.,  December  14,  1799. 

Jean  Baptiste  Camille  Corot,  a  French  landscape  painter. 


FEBRUARY 


147 


born  in  Paris,  France,  in  July,  1796;  died  in  Paris.  Feb- 
ruar}-  22,  1875. 

Sarah  Flower  Adams,  an  English  poet,  born  at  Great 
Harlow,  County  Essex,  England,  February  22,  1805;  died 
in  August,  1848.  Author  of  "Nearer,  My  God,  to  Thee,"  etc. 

James  Russell  Lowell,  a  famous  American  poet,  born  in 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  February  22,  1819 ;  died  in  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  August  12,  1891. 

Special  Days:  Washington's  Birthday;  Lowell's  Birth- 
day; Arbor  Day  in  Alabama  and  Texas.  (See  Arbor  Day, 
April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

23    WASHINGTON'S  RULES  OF  CONDUCT 

[Found  among  his  private  papers  after  his  death.] 

Be  no  flatterer. 

Mock   not,   nor   jest   at   anything   of   importance. 

Be  not  hasty  to  believe  flying  reports  to  the  disparage- 
ment   of   any    one. 

Undertake  not  Avhat  you  can  not  perform,  but  be  care- 
ful to  keep  your  promises. 

Show  not  yourself  glad  at  the  misfortunes  of  another, 
though    he   were   your   enemy. 

When  a  man  does  all  he  can  though  he  succeed  not  well, 
blame  not  him  that  did  it. 

Labor  to  keep  alive  in  your  breast  that  little  spark  of 
celestial   fire   called   conscience. 

Whenever  you  reprove  another  be  not  blamable  yourself 
for   example  is   more  prevalent  than   precept. 

Associate  yourself  with  men  of  good  quality,  if  you 
esteem  your  own  reputation,  for  it  is  better  to  be 
alone  than  in  bad  company. 

Whisper  not  in  the  company  of  others. 

Read  no  letters,  books,  or  papers  iji  company. 

Every  action  in  company  ought  to  be  some  sign  of 
respect  to  those   present. 

Come  not  near  the  books  or  writing  of  any  one  so  as 
to  read  them  unasked. 

Speak  not  when  others  speak. 

Speak  no  evil  of  the  absent,  for  it  is  unjust. 

Let  your  conversation  be  without  malice  or  envy. 

Be  not  apt  to  relate  news  if  you  know  not  the  truth 
thereof. 

Speak  not  in  an  unknown  tongue  in  company,  but  in 
your  own   language. 


148  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Use  no  reproachful  language  against  any  one,  neither 

curse,  nor  revile. 
When  another  speaks  be  attentive  yourself,  and  disturb 

not  the  audience. 

Birthday :  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  a  noted  English  por- 
trait painter,  born  at  Plympton,  Devonshire,  England,  July 
16,  1723;  died  in  London,  England,  February  23,  1792. 

24    WISDOM 

Have  more  than   thou   showest 
Speak    less    than    thou    knowest. 
— Shakespeare 

ROBERT  FULTON 

When  Fulton  was  building  his  steamboat,  the  Clermont, 
everybody  laughed  at  him.  They  thought  he  was  wasting 
his  time  and  that  a  boat  could  not  be  run  except  by  sails 
or  with  an  engine  turned  by  men.  But  when  the  Clermont 
was  seen  moving  along  on  the  Hudson  River  against  both 
wind  and  tide,  the  shores  rang  with  shouts  of  delight,  and 
those  who  had  jeered  him  were  silent  with  wonder.  In 
1814  Fulton  built  for  the  United  States  the  first  steam 
war-vessel  ever  made. 

Sing:     "Boat  Song,"  from  Merry  Melodies. 

Birthday's :  Robert  Fulton,  a  famous  American  inventor, 
bom  at  Little  Britain,  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  in  1765; 
died  in  New  York  City,  February  24,  1815. 

Winslow  Homer,  an  American  painter,  born  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  February  24,  1836 ;  died  at  Scarboro,  Me.,  September 
29,  1910. 

25    TIME 

Lost,  somewhere  between  sunrise  and  sunset,  two 
jTolden  hours,  each  set  with  sixty  diamond  minutes. 
Xo  rc^v.ard   is  offered  for  they  are  lost  forever. 

— Horace  Mann 


FEBRUARY  I49 

Birthday:  Camille  Flammarion,  a  French  astronomer, 
bom  at  Montigny-le-Roi,  Haute-Marne,  France,  February 
25,  1842. 

26    PROGRESS 

My  idea  is  this:  ever  onward.  If  God  had  intended 
that  man  should  go  backward,  he  would  have  given 
him  an  eye  in  the  back  of  his  head, — Victor  Hugo 

Read:  "The  Good  Bishop,"  from  Les  Miserahles,  by 
Victor  Hugo,  in  Cabot's  Ethics  for  Children. 

Sing:  "Sing,  Smile,  Slumber,"  from  Songs  Every  One 
Should  Know. 

Birthday:  Victor  M.  Hugo,  a  famous  French  poet  and 
novel  writer,  born  in  Besancon,  France,  February  26,  1802; 
died  in  Paris,  France,  May  22,  1885. 


27    LONGFELLOW'S  BIRTHDAY 

'Tis    always    morning    somewhere,    and    above 
The    awakening   continents,    from    shore    to    shore, 
Somewhere  the  birds  are  singing  evermore. 

— Longfellow 

Learn :  Longfellow 's  ' '  Excelsior, "  "  The  Legend  Beau- 
tiful," "Robert  of  Sicily"  and  "The  Psalm  of  Life." 

Read :  The  Story  of  Longfellow,  by  Beebe ;  "Longfellow 
and  the  Children,"  from  Our  Holidays:  Retold  from  St. 
Nicholas;  selections  from  Longfellow's  writings. 

Sing:  "Longfellow,"  from  Songs  in  Season;  "Stars  of 
the  Summer  Night,"  from  Songs  Every  One  Should  Know; 
"The  Ship  of  State,"  "A  Psalm  of  Life,"  and  "Life  is 
Real,  Life  is  Earnest,"  from  Uncle  Satn's  School  Songs. 

Birthday:  Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow,  a  famous 
American  poet,  born  in  Portland,  Maine,  February  27,  1807 ; 
died  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  March  24,  1882. 


150  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

28    PATRIOTISM 

Our  band  is  few,  but  true  and  tried,  our  leader  frank  and  bold: 
The  British  soldier  trembles  when  Marion's  name  is  told. 
Our  fortress  is  the  good  greenwood,  our  tent  the  cypress  tree: 
We   know  the  forest   round   us,   as   seamen   know  the   sea; 
We  know  its  walls  of  thorny  vines,  its  glades  of  reedy  grass. 
Its   safe   and   silent   islands   within   the   dark   morass. 

— From   "Song   of   Marion's  Men,"   by  Bryant 

"THE  SWAMP  FOX" 

General  Francis  Marion  was  a  daring  and  useful  officer 
in  the  Revolution.  Sometimes  he  would  fight  with  the  anny, 
sometimes  with  bands  of  patriotic  farmers  and  backwoods- 
men on  horseback,  dashing  through  the  country,  surprising 
the  enemy  at  different  points  in  the  same  day,  then  vanish- 
ing as  suddenly.  The  British  were  in  constant  dread  of 
"the  Swamp  Fox,"  as  they  called  him.  IMarion  and  his 
men  lived  in  the  swamps  and  forests,  and  had  little  food 
or  clothing.  A  British  officer  sent  to  ask  an  exchange  of 
prisoners,  was  led  blindfolded  into  Marion 's  camp  at  Snow 
Island.  When  their  business  was  concluded  Marion  invited 
the  officer  to  dinner.  To  his  utter  astonishment,  he  saw 
some  roasted  potatoes  brought  forward  on  a  piece  of  bark, 
of  which  the  general  partook  freely  and  invited  his  guest 
to  do  the  same.  "Surely,  General,"  said  the  officer,  "this 
cannot  be  your  ordinary  fare!"  "Indeed  it  is,"  replied 
Marion,  "and  we  are  fortunate  on  this  occasion,  entertain- 
ing company,  to  have  more  than  our  usual  allowance."  It 
is  said  that  the  yoimg  officer,  on  his  return  to  Georgetown, 
gave  up  his  commission,  declaring  that  such  a  people  could 
not  be,  and  ought  not  to  be,  subdued. 

Read:  Bryant's  "Song  of  Marion's  Men;"  Simms' 
"Marion  the  Swamp  Fox." 

Francis  Marion,  "The  Swamp  Fox."  an  American  gen- 
eral in  the  Revolution,  born  near  Georgetown,  S.  Car.,  in 
1732;  died  February  28,  1795. 


MARCH 


1    MARCH 

0   March    that    blusters,    and    March    that   blows, 
What  color   under  your   footstep   grows? 

Beauty   you   summon    from    winter's   snows 

And  you  are  the  pathway  that  leads  to  the  rose. 
— From  "March,"  by  Celia  Thaxter 

Birthdays:  Frederic  Francois  Chopin,  a  celebrated 
Polish  composer  and  pianist,  born  near  Warsaw,  Poland, 
March  1,  1809;  died  in  Paris,  France,  October  17,  1849. 

William  Dean  Howells,  an  American  novelist  and  poet, 
born  in  Martinsville,  Ohio,  March  1,  1837;  resides  in  New 
York  City. 

2    WISDOM 

True  wisdom  is  to  know  what  is  best  worth  knowing, 
and  to  do  what  is  best  worth  doing. — Humphreys 

THE  STRANGE  STORY  OF  SAM  HOUSTON 

When  Sam  Houston  was  quite  young  he  left  home  and 
went  to  live  with  the  Cherokee  Indians,  one  of  whose  chiefs 
adopted  him  for  his  son.  He  became  noted  as  an  Indian 
fighter,  and  fought  bravely  under  General  Jackson  at  the 
battle  of  Tallapoosa  (March  24,  1814).  In  1827  he  was 
chosen  governor  of  Tennessee,  but  resigned  his  office  and 
went  back  to  the  Indians.  In  1834  he  went  to  Texas,  then 
a  part  of  Mexico,  and  when  in  1835  the  Texans  began  a 
war  of  independence  he  was  made  commander-in-chief  of 
the  arm3^  He  met  the  Mexican  army  under  Santa  Anna, 
the   Mexican    president,    at   the   San   Jacinto   River,   and 


152  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

though  he  had  only  half  as  many  men  Houston  gained  a 
splendid  victory  (April  21,  1836),  The  next  day  Santa 
Anna  himself  was  captured,  and  forced  to  sign  a  treaty 
by  which  Texas  was  made  independent.  Houston  was  twice 
elected  president  of  Texas,  and  ruled  the  country  well  and 
wisely.  He  made  treaties  with  Indian  tribes,  brought  back 
trade  and  peace  with  Mexico,  and  finally  succeeded  in  hav- 
ing Texas  admitted  to  the  Union  (1845).  After  that  he  was 
United  States  Senator  and  governor  of  Texas. 

Sing :  ' '  Hail !  Columbia, "  and  "  The  Flag  of  the  Union, 
Forever,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Sam  Houston,  an  American  soldier,  born 
near  Lexington,  Va.,  March  2,  1793;  died  at  Huaterville, 
Texas,  July  25,  1863, 

Carl  Sehurz,  a  German- American  statesman  and  journal- 
ist, born  near  Cologne,  Germany,  March  2,  1829 ;  died  May 
14,  1906. 

Special  Day:  Anniversary  of  Texas  independence,  ob- 
served in  Texas. 

3    WORDS 

Every  gentle  word  you  say, 
One  dark  spirit  drives  away; 
Every  gentle  deed  you  do, 
One  bright  spirit  brings  to  you. 

— V.    B.    Harrison 

HOW  THE  TELEPHONE  WAS  INVENTED 

In  a  recent  lecture  Prof.  Alexander  Graham  Bell  is 
reported  to  have  explained,  as  follows,  how  he  came  to 
invent  the  telephone: 

"My  father  invented  a  symbol  by  which  deaf  mutes 
could  converse,  and  finally  I  invented  an  apparatus  by 
which  the  vibrations  of  speech  could  be  seen,  and  it  turned 
out  to  be  a  telephone.  It  occurred  to  me  to  make  a  machine 
that  would  enable  one  to  hear  vibrations.  I  went  to  an 
aurist,  and  he  advised  me  to  take  the  human  ear  as  my 


MARCH  153 

model.  He  supplied  me  with  a  dead  man's  ear,  and  with 
this  ear  I  experimented,  and  upon  applying  the  apparatus 
I  found  that  the  dead  man 's  ear  wrote  down  the  vibrations. 
*'I  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  if  I  could  make  iron 
vibrate  on  a  dead  man's  ear,  I  could  make  an  instrument 
more  delicate  which  would  cause  those  vibrations  to  be 
heard  and  understood.  I  thought  if  I  placed  a  delicate 
piece  of  steel  over  an  electric  magnet  I  could  get  a  vibra- 
tion, and  thus  the  telephone  was  completed.  The  telephone 
arose  from  my  attempts  to  teach  the  deaf  to  speak.  It  arose 
from  my  knowledge,  not  of  electricity,  but  as  a  teacher  of 
the  deaf.  Had  I  been  an  electrician  I  would  not  have 
attempted  it." 

Birthday :  Alexander  Graham  Bell,  the  inventor  of  the 
telephone,  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  March  3,  1847; 
living  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

4    INAUGUEATION  DAY 

Always  vote  for  a  principle,  though  you  vote  alone, 
and  you  may  cherish  tlie  sweet  reflection  that  your 
vote  is  never  lost. — John  Quincy  Adams 

HOW  THE  DATE  WAS  SET 

The  date  of  Inauguration  Day  was  settled  by  the  old 
Congress  of  the  Confederation  in  1788,  when  the  procedure 
was  established  for  the  election  of  a  President.  It  was 
decreed  that  the  Electoral  College  should  meet  on  the  first 
Wednesday  of  January,  the  votes  be  counted  by  the  House 
of  Representatives  on  the  first  Wednesday  of  February, 
and  the  President  be  inaugurated  the  first  Wednesday  of 
March.  The  March  date  was  the  4th.  March  4  has  been 
Inauguration  Day  ever  since.  — Our  Holidays 

Eead:     "How  a  President  Is  Inaugurated,"  from  Oiir 
Holidays:  Retold  from  St.  Nicholas. 
Sing:     "America." 


154  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Birthday:  Count  Casimir  Pulaski,  a  Polish  soldier,  who 
fought  in  the  American  Revolution,  born  in  Podolia,  Poland, 
March  4,  1748 ;  died  at  Savannah,  Ga.,  October  11,  1779. 

Special  Day :    Inauguration  Day. 

5    DUTY 

Though  your  duty  may  be  hard, 

Look  not  on  it  as  an  ill ; 
If  it  be  an   honest  task, 

Do  it  with  an  honest  will. 

— R.  B.  Sheridan 

Sing:  "Duty  and  Inclination,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays :  Antonio  Allegri  Correggio,  a  famous  Italian 
painter,  bom  at  Correggio,  now  called  Reggin,  Italy,  in 
1494;  died  at  Correggio,  March  5,  1534. 

Howard  Pyle,  an  American  artist  and  writer  for  young 
folks,  born  in  Wilmington,  Del.,  March  5,  1853;  died  in 
Florence,  Italy,  November  9,  1911. 

6    BOOKS 

Books  are  men  of  higher  stature, 
And   the  only   men   that   speak   aloud   for 
future  times  to  hear! 

— Mrs.  Broioning 

MY  BOOK  IS  A  HOUSE 

BY  ABBIE  FARWELL   BROWN 

It's  a  curious  house,  where  people  dwell, 
And  wonders  happen,  ill  or  well. 
The  door-plate  gives  the  house's  name, 
Likewise  the  builder  of  the  same. 

You  enter,  if  you  have  a  key, 
And  something  of  a  scholar  be. 
You  ope  the  door,  and  in  the  hall 
A  picture  greets  you,  first  of  all. 


MARCH  155 

A  blazoned  notice  next  you  view, 
The  builder's  name,  the  owner's  too, 
The  city  where  the  house  was  made, 
Date  when  the  cornerstone  was  laid. 

And  then  you  find  a  list  enrolled 
Of  treasures  which  the  house  doth  hold, 
That  you  may  choose  what  suits  your  eye, 
Or  if  none  please  ma^'  pass  them  by. 

And  then  you  swing  door  after  door. 
Each  numbered  next  to  that  before, 
From  room  to  room  you  pass  in  turn. 
And  many  curious  things  you  learn 

About  the  people  of  the  house 
(But  you  must  keep  still  as  a  mouse). 
A  magic  house,  then,  it  must  be, 
For  all  things  happen  rapidly; 

Behind  its  doors  years  pass  away, 
Though  you  may  but  an  hour  stay. 
Perhaps  around  the  world  you  soar 
Before  you  pass  the  other  door. 

Yet  when  this  gate  is  closed  behind, 
You  have  not  stirred  a  step,  you  find ! 
Your  hand  may  move  the  house  at  will, 
Carry  it  far,  or  leave  it  still. 

Though  months  and  years  may  pass  away, 
Unchanged  the  house  and  inmates  stay. 
Your  house  to  sell — or  give — or  let; 
Yours  to  revisit  or  forget. 

Read:     "Sheridan's  Ride,"  by  Thomas  Buchanan  Read. 


156  MORXING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Sing :  "  The  Old  School-Bell, ' '  from  Uncle  Sam 's  School 
Songs. 

Birthdays:  Michael  Angelo,  a  famous  Italian  painter, 
sculptor  and  architect,  born  near  Florence,  Italy,  March 
6,  1474;  died  in  Rome,  Italy,  February  17,  1563. 

Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning,  wife  of  Robert  Browning, 
a  noted  English  poet,  born  at  Coxhoe  Hall,  Durham,  Eng- 
land, March  6,  1806;  died  June  30,  1861. 

Philip  H.  Sheridan,  an  American  general,  born  at  Somer- 
set, Ohio,  March  6,  1831 ;  died  August  5,  1888. 

7    BUEBANK  DAY 

Flowers  are  cousins  to  children — 

So  Frederick   Froebel   thought 
When  he  planted  the  kindergarten, 

Where  the  children  would  be  taught 
To  grow  like  the  beautiful  flowers, 

Under  the  gardener's  care, 
Removing  the  harsh  and  ugly, 

Keeping    only    the    good    and    fair. 
— Fannie  F.  Copeland 

"NATURE'S  HELPER" 

Luther  Burbank  when  a  boy  cared  but  little  for  the 
regular  school  studies.  He  liked  best  to  talk  to  the  flowers, 
to  study  their  ways,  and  to  watch  things  grow.  As  he  grew 
older  he  began  to  take  a  still  greater  interest  in  his  "plant 
children,"  and  to  experiment  with  them  in  his  endeavor 
to  improve  upon  nature.  Of  course  this  seemed  foolish 
to  many  people,  but  Mr.  Burbank  had  an  idea  that  he  could 
do  it  and  he  was  going  to  give  it  a  trial.  To-day  we  can 
see  the  results  of  Mr.  Burbank 's  work  in  his  new  creations 
of  flowers,  fruits,  plants  and  trees. 

How  many  have  seen  the  Burbank  potato?  the  improved 
Shasta  daisy?  the  white  blackberry?  the  Burbank  plum? 
the  Burbank  prune?  But  Mr.  Burbank 's  greatest  work 
is  perhaps  the  improved  fruit-bearing  cactus.  He  has  made 
it  give  up  its  thorns  and  its  woody  fibre,  and  grow  instead 


MARCH  157 

a  smooth  outer  covering,  a  rich  juicy  leaf  and  fruit  that 
may  be  used  for  food.  This  cactus  will  make  desert  travel 
safe  and  will  also  furnish  food  for  cattle  on  the  vast 
areas  that  are  annually  visited  by  drouth. 

Read  or  tell  more  of  Mr.  Burbank's  life  and  work;  Bible, 
Isaiah  35 : 1,  6  and  7. 

Sing:  "Flower  Day,"  from  Songs  in  Season;  "The 
Daisy,"  from  Amencan  School  Songs. 

Birthdays :  Sir  Edwin  Landseer,  a  famous  English  artist, 
born  in  London,  England,  March  7,  1802 ;  died  in  London, 
October  1,  1873. 

Luther  Burbank,  "nature's  helper,"  born  March  7,  1849; 
lives  in  Santa  Rosa,  California. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  California.  (See  Arhoi' 
Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

8    CLEANLINESS 

Cleanliness    of   body    was   ever    esteemed   to    proceed 
from  a  due  reverence  to  God. — Bacon 

CLEAN  HANDS 

A  DERVISH  of  great  sanctity  one  morning  had  the  misfor- 
tune, as  he  took  up  a  crystal  cup  which  was  consecrated  to 
the  Prophet,  to  let  it  fall  on  the  ground,  breaking  it  into 
pieces.  His  son  coming  in  some  time  after,  he  stretched 
out  his  hand  to  bless  him,  as  his  manner  was  every  morning ; 
but  the  youth,  going  out,  stumbled  over  the  threshold  and 
broke  his  arm.  As  the  old  man  wondered  at  these  events, 
a  caravan  passed  by  on  its  way  to  Mecca.  The  dervish 
approached  it  to  beg  a  blessing;  but,  as  he  stroked  one  of 
the  holy  camels,  he  received  a  kick  from  the  beast  which 
sorely  bruised  him.  His  sorrow  and  amazement  increased 
on  him,  until  he  recollected,  that,  through  hurry  and  inad- 
vertency, he  had  that  morning  come  abroad  without  washing 
his  hands.  — Royal  Series 


158  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Birthday:  John  Ericsson,  a  famous  engineer  and  in- 
ventor, born  in  the  province  of  Wermeland,  Sweden,  July 
31,  1803 ;  died  in  New  York  City,  March  8,  1889.  (Inventor 
of  the  turret-ship  Monitor,  that  defeated  the  Confederate 
ironclad  ship  Virginia,  formerly  the  Merrimack,  which  was 
many  times  larger  than  the  Monitor.) 

9    SOWING  AND  REAPING 

We  can  never  be  too  eai'eful 

What  the  seed  our  hands  shall  sow, 
Love  from  love  is  sure  to  ripen, 

Hate  from  hate  is  sure  to  grow. 
Seeds  of  good  or  ill  we  scatter 

Heedlessly  along  our  way, 
But  a  glad  or  grievous  fruitage 

Waits  us  at  the   harvest  day. 
Whatsoe'er  our  sowing  be, 

Reaping,  we  its  fruit  must  see. 

Sing:  "Kind  Words,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary 
Songs;  "Sowing  the  Seed,"  from  American  School  Songs. 

Birthday :  Franz  Joseph  Gall,  a  German  physician, 
founder  of  Phrenology,  born  at  Tiefenbrunn,  near  Pfor- 
zeim,  Baden,  Germany,  ]\Iarch  9,  1758 ;  died  at  ^Montrouge, 
near  Paris,  France,  Aug.  22,  1828. 

10     HONESTY 

Wliatc'cr  you  think,  whate'or  you  do, 
Whate'er  you  purj)()se  or  pursue. 
It  may  be  small,  but  must  be  true. 

11    TRUST 

I   know    not    where    His    islands    lift 

Their   fronded   palms    in    air: 
I   only  know  I  cannot   drift 

Beyond   His   love   and    care. 

— Whit  tier 

Read :     Bible,  Luke  12 :  22-30. 

Sing:     "Rock  of  Ages,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School  Songs. 


MARCH  159 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Oklahoma  (second  Monday 
in  March).     (See  Arhor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

12    ACHIEVEMENT 

Though  the  world  smile  on  you  blandly, 
Let   your    friends    be    choice    and    few; 

Choose  your  course,  pursue  it  grandly, 
And   achieve   what   you   pursue. 

— Read 

SALT  IN  YOUR  CHARACTER 

There  is  a  loftier  ambition  than  merely  to  stand  high  in 
the  world.  It  is  to  stoop  down  and  lift  mankind  a  little 
higher.  There  is  a  nobler  character  than  that  which  is 
merely  incorruptible.  It  is  the  character  which  acts  as  an 
antidote  and  preventive  of  corruption.  Fearlessly  to  speak 
the  words  which  bear  witness  to  righteousness  and  truth 
and  purity;  patiently  to  do  the  deeds  which  strengthen 
virtue  and  kindle  hope  in  your  fellow-men ;  generously  to 
lend  a  hand  to  those  who  are  trying  to  climb  upward ;  faith- 
fully to  give  your  support  and  your  personal  help  to  the 
efforts  which  are  making  to  elevate  and  purify  the  social 
life  of  the  world, — that  is  what  it  means  to  have  salt  in 
your  character.  The  men  that  have  been  happiest,  and 
the  men  that  are  the  best  remembered,  are  the  men  that 
have  done  good.  — Henry  van  Dyke 

Birthday:  Thomas  Buchanan  Read,  an  American  poet 
and  artist,  born  in  Chester  County,  Pa.,  March  12,  1822; 
died  in  New  York  City,  May  11,  1872.  Author  of  "Sheri- 
dan's Ride." 

13    PATIENCE 

Heaven  is  not  gained  by  a  single  bound, 
But  we  build  the  ladder  by  which  we  rise 
From  the  lowly  earth  to  the  vaulted  skies, 
And  we  mount  to  its  summit  round  by  round. 

— J.   G.  Holland 


160  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Bead:  "Diff'ent  Kind  o'  Bundles,"  from  Slosson's 
Story-tell  Lib. 

Birthday:  Benjamin  Harrison,  twenty-third  president 
of  the  United  States,  born  at  North  Bend,  Ohio,  August 
20,  1833;  died  March  13,  1901. 

14    HONOR 

Where  honor  ceaseth,  there  knowledge  deereaseth. 

— Shakespeare 

TRUE  MANHOOD 

It  is  not  always  the  coat  that  tells. 
Nor  the  collar  your  friend  may  wear ; 

It  is  not  always  the  shine  of  the  shoe. 
Nor  the  finished  touch  of  his  hair. 

It  is  not  all  in  a  silken  hat, 

Nor  the  fitting  neat  of  his  gloves; 
It  is  not  merely  his  cultured  air, 

Nor  the  circle  in  which  he  moves. 

It  is  not  his  temper,  his  pride  nor  smile, 

Nor  yet  his  worshipful  mien; 
It  is  not  even  the  name  he  bears 

In  a  world  that  is  shallow  and  mean. 

Ah,  no,  after  all,  'tis  the  man  himself 

As  he  stands  with  his  God  alone, 
'Tis  the  heart  that  beats  beneath  the  coat, 

The  life  that  points  to  the  throne. 

The  eye  that  cheers  with  its  kindly  glance, 
'Tis  the  arm  'round  a  brother  cast ; 

The  hand  that  points  to  a  hope  beyond, 
'Tis  a  love  that  endures  to  the  last. 


MARCH  151 

Sing:  "Help  to  Set  the  World  Rejoicing,"  from  Uncle 
Sam's  School  Songs. 

Special  Day :  Arbor  Day  in  New  Mexico  (second  Friday 
in  March).     (See  Arbor  Da^f,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

15    FAIR-MINDEDNESS 

Do   not   look   for   wrong   and   evil; 

You  will  find  them  if  you  do; 
As   you   measure   for    your   neighbor, 

He  will  measure  back  to  you. 

— Alice  Cary 

Birthday:  Andrew  Jackson,  seventh  president  of  the 
United  States,  born  at  Waxhaw  Settlement,  N.  C,  March 
15,  1767 ;  died  at  his  farm  called  the  Hermitage,  near  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  June  8,  1845. 

16    HEALTH 

Better  than  grandeur,  better  than  gold, 
Than  rank  or  title  a  hundred-fold, 
Is  a  healthy  body,  and  a  mind  at  ease, 
And  simple  pleasures  that  always  please. 
A   heart  that   can   feel   for   a   neighbor's   woe, 
And   share   in   his   joy   with   a   friendly   glow. 
With   sympathies   large   enough    to   infold 
All  men   as   brothers,   is  better  than  gold. 

— Alexander   Smart 

Read:  "What  Will  You  Choose,"  from  Brown's  The 
House  I  Live  In. 

Birthday:  James  Madison,  fourth  president  of  the 
United  States,  born  at  King  George,  Va.,  March  16,  1761 ; 
died  at  Montpelier,  near  Orange  Court  House,  Va.,  June 
28,  1836. 

17    ST.  PATRICK'S  DAY 

A  very  little  seed  of  truth 

May  sink  into  the  soul, 
And  by  God's  blessing,  gather  power 

Ab  ages   onward  roll. 


162  MORXING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

ST.  PATRICK  AND  THE  SNAKES 

A  GREAT  many  stories  are  told  of  St.  Patrick.  In  Ireland 
there  are  no  snakes  or  other  poisonous  reptiles,  and  the 
people  believe  that  the  "Holy  St.  Patrick"  charmed  them 
all  away.  St.  Patrick  had  destroyed  all  snakes,  so  runs 
the  old  legend,  except  one  very  large  one  who  hid  himself 
in  the  thick  woods  on  the  shores  of  the  beautiful  lake  of 
Killarney.  St.  Patrick  determined  to  catch  him,  so  he  pro- 
cured a  large  chest  with  nine  strong  bolts,  and  taking  it 
on  his  shoulder  he  trudged  over  to  Killarney,  where  he 
found  the  snake  basking  in  the  sun.  The  snake  was  induced 
to  enter  the  chest,  and  it  was  thrown  into  the  lake.  There 
to  this  day,  it  is  said  by  the  people  about  the  lake,  they 
can  hear  the  voice  of  the  snake  crying:  "Let  me  out; 
hasn't  to-morrow  come  yet?"  — Selected 

18    DESTINY 

The  tissues  of  the  life  to  be 

We  weave   with   colors   all   our  own, 

And  in  the  field  of  destiny 
We  reap  as  we  have  sown. 

—Whittier 

Birthdays:  Amerigo  Vespucci,  an  Italian  navigator, 
after  whom  America  was  named,  born  in  Florence,  Italy, 
March  18,  1452;  died  in  Seville,  Spain.  February  22,  1512. 

John  C.  Calhoun,  an  American  statesman,  born  in  the 
district  of  Abbeville,  S.  C.  March  18,  1782 ;  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  March  31,  1850. 

Grover  Cleveland,  twenty-second  and  twenty-fourth 
president  of  the  United  States,  born  in  Caldwell,  N.  J., 
March  18,  1837 ;  died  in  Princeton,  N.  J.,  June  24,  1908. 

19    CHAEACTEE 

To  form  character  is  to  form  grooves  in  which  are 
to  flow  the  purposes  of  our   lives. — William  J.   Bryan 


MARCH  163 

THE  TWO  ROSES 

I  HOLD  in  my  hand  a  rose.  Its  texture  is  delicate;  its 
color,  beautiful.  Every  petal  is  complete  and  nearly  per- 
feet.  Everybody  loves  the  beauty  and  fragrance  of  the 
perfect  rose.  I  hold  here  another.  Some  of  its  petals  are 
well  developed;  others,  withered  and  shriveled.  These 
strikingly  resemble  two  types  of  people.  The  rose  that 
has  all  of  its  petals  well  developed  is  like  those  people  who 
are  honest,  truthful,  faithful,  kind,  loving.  Everybody 
loves  those  of  that  type  of  character.  This  rose  with  the 
withered  and  shriveled  petals  is  like  the  person  whose 
character  is  made  defective  by  occasional  falsehoods,  cheat- 
ing, unkindness  to  parents  or  others.  Such  characters  can 
never  win  admiration  and  love.  — Popular  Educator 

Sing:  "Smile  Whenever  You  Can,"  from  Merry 
Melodies. 

Birthdays:  James  Otis,  the  pen-name  of  James  Otis 
Kaler,  an  American  writer  for  young  folks,  born  at 
Winterport,  Me.,  March  19,  1848;  lives  in  Portland,  Me. 

William  Jennings  Bryan,  an  American  statesman  and 
politician,  bom  at  Salem,  111.,  March  19,  1860;  at  present 
(1914)  Secretary  of  State,  Washington,  D.  C. 

20    SPRING 

Everywhere  about  us  they  are  glowing, 
Some  like  stars,  to  tell  us  Spring  is  born. 
— From  "Flotcers,"  hy  Henry  W.  Longfellow 

Read:  "A  Laughing  Chorus"  and  "Wild  Geese,"  from 
Language  Through  Nature,  Literature  and  Art. 

Sing:  "Spring  is  Coming,"  from  TJncle  Sam's  School 
Songs. 

Birthdays:  Henrik  Ibsen,  a  noted  Norwegian  poet  and 
writer  of  plays,  bom  at  Skien,  Norway,  March  20,  1828; 
died  in  Christiana,  Norway,  May  22,  1906. 

Charles  W.  Eliot,  an  American  educator,  ex-president  of 


164  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Harvard  University,  bom  in  Boston,  Mass..  March  20,  1834; 
lives  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Enrico  Caruso,  an  Italian  tenor  singer,  born  in  Naples, 
Italy,  March  20,  1874.    He  sings  in  more  than  forty  operas. 

21    ORANGE  DAY 

March   is   merry,   March   is  mad, 
March  is  gay,  March  is  sad; 
Every   humor   we   may   know 
If  we  list  the  winds  that  blow. 
— Frank   Dempster   tihcrman 

CALIFORNIA'S  ORANGE  DAY 

The  great  State  of  California — the  Golden  State — has 
set  aside  one  day  which  is  called  "Orange  Day"  (the  first 
day  of  spring),  and  to-day  is  that  day. 

We  ought  all  to  celebrate  this  day,  for  the  orange,  the 
plum  (prune  when  it  is  dried),  the  apple,  the  peach,  the 
grape — those  are  nature's  most  beautiful  and  precious  gifts 
to  man.  The  orange,  provided  in  the  winter  months,  when 
peaches,  apples  and  other  fruits  are  hard  to  get,  or  entirely 
lacking,  has  a  value  that  is  not  generally  understood.  It 
is  not  only  a  fruit  beautiful  and  delicious,  but  one  most 
important  to  the  human  race. 

Those  who  admire  the  apple  say,  "An  apple  a  day  will 
keep  the  doctor  away."  And  there  is  much  truth  in  the 
statement.  It  is  equally  true,  in  the  winter  months  and 
all  through  the  hot  weather  as  well,  of  the  orange,  a  friend 
of  children,  a  blessing  to  the  human  race. 

Special  Day:  First  dav  of  spring.  California's  "Orange 
Day." 

22     SPRING 

Would  you   think   it?     Spring   has  come, 
Winter's  paid   his   passapo   home; 
Packed   his  ice-box — trone — half  way 
To  the  arctic  pole,  they   say. 

— Christopher  Cranch 


MARCH  165 

Read :  ' '  Spring, ' '  from  Boston  Collection  of  Kindergar- 
ten Stories;  "Spring  and  Her  Plelpers,"  from  Poulsson's 
In  the  Child's  World. 

Sing:  "Wake  Up"  and  "In  the  Springtime,"  from 
Songs  in  Season. 

Birthdays:  Sir  Anthony  Van  Dyke  or  Van  Dyek,  a 
famous  Flemish  painter,  born  in  Antwerp,  Belgium,  March 
22,  1599 ;  died  in  London,  England,  December  9,  1641. 

Johann  W.  von  Goethe,  a  famous  German  novel-writer 
and  poet,  born  in  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  Germany,  August 
28,  1749 ;  died  in  Weimar,  Germany,  March  22,  1832. 

Rosa  Bonheur,  a  famous  French  painter  of  animals,  born 
at  Bordeaux,  France,  March  22,  1822;  died  in  Paris, 
France,  May  26,  1899. 

23    ANGER 

A  cheerful  temper,  joined  with  innocence,  will  make 
beauty  attractive,  knowledge  delightful,  and  wit  good- 
natured. — A  ddison 

THE  TWO  GARDENERS 

Two  gardeners  had  their  crops  of  peas  killed  by  the  frost. 
One  of  them  was  very  impatient  under  the  loss,  and  fretted 
about  it.  The  other  patiently  went  to  work  to  plant  a  new 
crop.  After  awhile  the  impatient  man  came  to  visit  his 
neighbor.  To  his  surprise  he  found  another  crop  of  peas 
growing  finely.     He  asked  how  this  could  be. 

"This  crop  I  sowed  while  you  were  fretting,"  said  his 
neighbor. 

"But  don't  you  ever  fret?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,  I  do;  but  I  put  it  off  till  I  have  repaired  the  mis- 
chief that  has  been  done." 

"Why,  then,  you  have  no  need  to  fret  at  all." 

"True,"  said  his  friend;  "and  that's  the  reason  why  I 
put  it  off." 


166     MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Read:  "Fairy  in  the  Mirror,"  from  Boston  Collection 
of  Kindergarten  Stories. 

Birthday:  Pierre  G.  T.  Beauregard,  an  American  gen- 
eral, born  near  New  Orleans,  La.,  May  23,  1818;  died  in 
New  Orleans,  February  20,  1893. 

24    AIM 

Aim  well! 
No  time  is  lost  by  care, 
Haste  fails.     Beware!      Beware! 
A  true  aim  wins,  then  dare 

Make  each  aim  tell. 

— Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox 

Birthday :  William  Morris,  an  English  poet  and  artist, 
born  near  London,  England,  March  24,  1834 ;  died  October 
3,  1896. 

25    EASTER 

Sing,  children,  sing! 
And  tlu'  lily  censers  swing; 
Sing  that  life  and  joy  are  waking  and  that  Death 

no  more   is  king. 
Sing  the  happy,  happy  tumult  of  the  slowly 
brightening   Spring: 
Sing,   little   children,   f.ing! 

— Celia  Thaxter 

EASTER  SUNDAY 

This  Sunday  is  the  festival  of  our  Lord's  resurrection, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  joyous  days  observed  by  the  Christian 
church.  Coming  after  the  self-denials  of  Lent  and  at  the 
beginning  of  spring,  it  seems  naturally  a  time  of  hope  and 
new  life.  It  is  the  feast  of  flowers,  particularly  of  lilies, 
and  the  name  had  its  origin  in  a  festival  in  honor  of  Eostre, 
a  Saxon  goddess,  whose  festival  was  celebrated  annually  in 
the  spring. 

Read:    "A  Song  of  Easter,"  by  Celia  Thaxter;  "The 


MARCH  167 

General's  Easter  Box,"  from  Our  Holidays:  Retold  from 
St.  Nicholas;  "First-day  Thoughts,"  by  Whittier. 

Sing:     "Easter,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Special  Day:  Easter  Day.  Easter  is  the  Sunday  that 
follows  the  14th  day  of  the  calendar  moon,  which  falls  upon 
or  next  after  the  21st  of  March. 

26    NEATNESS 

Neatness  and  its  reverse  are  almost  a  certain  test  of 
moral  character. — Dr.  Whitaker 

A  NEAT  FAMILY 

BY   LIZZIE   DE   ARMOND 

Tap,   tap,   young   Mr.    Woodpecker 

Was  busy  as  a  bee, 
For  he  had  started  out  to  build 

Up  in  the  cherry  tree. 

He  cut  a  dainty  little  hole. 

The  chips  flew  thick  and  fast, 
The  entry  and  the  living  room 

Were  finished  up  at  last. 

Upon  the  polished  floor  was  laid 

Some  shaving  mats  quite  fine, 
Where  Mrs.  Downy  Woodpecker 

Might  ask  her  guests  to  dine. 

No  litter  lay  around  the  door 

For  neighbor  folks  to  see. 
Woodpecker  said  that  tidy  ways 

Ran  in  his  family. 

Birthday:  Cecil  John  Rhodes,  a  South  African  states- 
man, born  at  Bishop   Strotford,   Hertfordshire,   England, 


16g  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

July  5,  1853 ;  died  in  Cape  Town,  Africa,  March  26,  1902. 
(Mr.  Rhodes  made  a  large  fortune  in  the  diamond  mine  at 
Kimberley,  and  left  a  large  part  of  his  money  to  estab- 
lish the  Rhodes  Scholarship.) 

27    EXPERIENCE 

O,  it's  I  that  am  the  captain  of  a  tidy  little  ship, 

Of  a  ship  that  goes  a-sailing  on  the  pond; 
And  my  ship  it  keeps  a-turning  all  around  and  all  about, 
But   when  I'm   a   little  older,   I   shall   find   the   secret   out, 

How  to  send   my  vessel  sailing  on  beyond. 

— Robert  Louis  Stevenson 

Sing:  "What  Does  Little  Birdie  Say,"  from  Merry 
Melodies. 

Birthday:  Oliver  Optic,  the  pen-name  of  William  Tay- 
lor Adams,  an  American  writer  of  books  for  young  folks, 
born  in  IMedway,  Mass.,  July  30,  1822;  died  in  Boston, 
Ma.ss.,  March  27,  1897. 

28    ECONOMY 

"Waste   not,    want   not,"   be   your    motto, 
Little  things  bring  weal  or  woe; 
Save  the  odds  and  ends,   my  children, 
Some  one  wants  them,  if  not  you. 

—Mrs.  E.  R.   Miller 

WASTE  NOT,  WANT  NOT 

A  CLERGYMAN  called  on  a  wealthy  merchant  of  his  con- 
gregation, to  request  a  contribution  for  the  church.  The 
merchant  made  out  a  check  for  a  large  amount. 

While  sitting  at  his  desk  the  merchant  reproved  one  of 
his  clerks  for  throwing  away  a  blank  sheet  of  paper.  The 
clergyman  was  greatly  surprised,  for  the  man  had  cer- 
tainly been  very  generous  to  the  church.  Seeing  the 
wondering  look,  the  merchant  said: 

"If  I  had  not  been  careful  of  the  little  savings  I  could 
not  now  have  given  you  that  check." 


JklARCH  169 

Sing:   "You  Never  Miss  the  Water,"  from  Uncle  Sam's 
School  Songs. 

29    INDUSTRY 

If  little  labor,  little  are  our  gains; 
Man's    fortunes    are    according   to    his    pains. 

— Herrick 


AMY  STEWART 

There  was  once  a  little  girl  named  Amy  Stewart,  who 
liked  to  play  all  day  among  the  flowers  and  birds.  She 
said  they  talked  to  her. 

One  day  her  mother  said,  "You  are  old  enough  now, 
Amy,  to  do  a  little  work,  and  you  must  begin  early  to  be 
industrious. ' ' 

' '  Oh  mamma  !  I  do  not  like  to  work, ' '  said  Amy ;  may  I 
not  go  in  the  woods  and  play  before  I  begin  work?" 

"As  I  have  nothing  ready  for  you  to  do  just  now,  you 
may  go  for  a  little  while,"  said  her  mother. 

So  Amy  ran  out  of  doors.  A  pretty  gray  squirrel  ran 
across  her  path,  and  she  called  to  him,  saying:  "Dear 
squirrel,  have  you  nothing  to  do  but  play  and  eat  nuts, 
have  you?" 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Squirrel,  "I  have  a  large  family  to 
support,  and  I  am  busy  laying  up  nuts  for  the  winter,  so 
I  cannot  stop  to  play  with  you." 

Just  then  a  bee  came  buzzing  by.  Amy  said:  "Little  bee, 
do  you  have  any  work  to  do?" 

"It  seems  to  me  I  have  no  time  for  anything  but  work, 
getting  honey  and  making  the  honeycomb." 

Amy  now  saw  an  ant  carrying  off  a  crumb  of  bread. 
"Is  not  that  crumb  too  heavy  for  you?"  she  said.  "I 
wish  you  would  drop  it  and  play  with  me." 

"It  is  heavy,  but  I  am  too  glad  to  get  it  not  to  be  will- 
ing to  carry  it;  but  I  will  stop  long  enough  to  tell  you 


170  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

of  a  lazy  day  we  once  had.  Our  home  was  destroyed,  and 
I  was  too  lazy  to  help  rebuild  it ;  and  I  said  to  my  brother, 
'Let  us  go  and  travel;  perhaps  we  will  find  a  house  ready- 
made;  perhaps  the  butterflies  will  play  with  us.'  We 
traveled  a  long  way,  but  we  found  no  ready-made  house, 
and  at  last  were  obliged  to  build  one  for  ourselves.  Since 
then  we  have  been  contented  to  do  all  the  work  that  we 
find  necessary." 

The  ant  then  picked  up  the  crumb  of  bread  and  hurried 
away. 

Amy  sat  down  on  a  stone  and  thought:  "It  seems  to 
me  all  creatures  have  some  work  to  do,  and  they  seem  to 
like  it;  but  I  do  not  believe  flowers  have  anything  to  do. 
So  she  walked  up  to  a  red  poppy  and  said:  "Beautiful 
red  poppy,  do  flowers  work?" 

"Of  course  we  do,"  said  the  poppy.  "I  have  to  take 
great  care  to  gather  all  the  red  rays  the  good  sun  sends 
down  to  me,  and  I  must  keep  them  in  my  silken  petals 
for  you  to  use,  and  the  green  rays  must  be  untangled  and 
held  by  my  glossy  leaves,  and  my  roots  must  drink  water, 
my  flowers  must  watch  the  days  not  to  let  the  seed-time 
pass  by — ah,  my  child,  I  assure  you  we  are  a  busy  family 
and  that  is  why  we  are  so  happy." 

Amy  walked  slowly  homeward  and  said  to  her  mother: 
"The  squirrels,  the  bees,  the  ants,  and  even  the  flowers 
have  something  to  do.  I  am  the  only  idle  one.  Please  give 
me  some  work  to  do." 

Then  her  mother  brought  her  a  towel  to  hem,  which 
she  had  begun  so  long  before  that  she  had  quite  forgotten 
it.  She  worked  very  faithfully  and  in  time  grew  to  be 
an  industrious  woman,  and  always  said  that  work  made 
her  happier  than  idleness. 

Birthday:  John  Tyler,  tenth  president  of  the  United 
States,  bom  in  Greenway,  Va.,  March  29,  1790;  died  at 
Eichmond,  Va.,  January  17,  1862, 


MARCH  J72 

30    KINDNESS 

Little    acts   of   kindness, 

Little  deeds  of  love, 
Make  this  earth  an  Eden, 

Like  the  Heaven  above. 

THE  HAPPY-FACED  BOY 

This  is  what  I  saw,  sitting  behind  a  blackberry  bush  one 
lovely  spring  day,  quite  out  of  sight,  you  understand : 

Over  the  fence  jumped  a  boy,  a  sweet,  happy-faced  boy 
of  ten.  I  knew  that  he  had  come  from  the  schoolhouse 
down  the  road  and  was  going  to  the  spring  which  bubbled 
up  under  a  rock  in  my  meadow.  He  was  eating  his  luncheon 
as  he  walked,  had  just  put  the  last  bit  of  bread  into  his 
mouth,  and  was  looking  rather  eagerly,  as  though  he  enjoyed 
the  prospect  very  much,  at  a  slice  of  delicious-looking  cake 
which  he  held  in  his  hand.  Just  as  he  had  opened  his 
mouth  to  take  the  first  bite,  his  eye  fell  upon  a  little  pail 
under  a  tree  not  far  from  my  blackberry  bush.  I  had 
been  looking  at  the  little  pail,  so  I  knew  just  what  he 
saw ;  two  slices  of  bread,  that  is  all,  and  judging  from  the 
appearance  of  the  owner  of  the  pail— who  had  left  it  to 
go  to  the  schoolhouse — that  is  all  there  ever  was  in  it. 
Well,  my  boy  looked  at  the  bread  and  then  at  the  cake  in 
his  hand. 

"He  shall  have  half,"  I  heard  him  say;  and  he  took 
hold  of  the  cake  as  though  to  break  it.  then  paused. 

"Half  is  only  a  mouthful;  he  shall  have  it  all;"  then, 
stooping  he  laid  the  delicious  cake  gently  in  the  little  pail, 
and,  whistling  softly,  went  on  his  way  to  the  bubbling 
spring. 

"Ah!  no  wonder  that  you  are  happy-faced,  you  noble, 
generous  boy ! "  I  said,  as  I  wiped  away  the  tears  behind  the 
friendly  shelter  of  the  blackberry  hush.— Little  Pilgrim 

Birthday:  John  Fiske,  an  American  historical  writer, 
born  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  March  30,  1842 ;  died  July  4,  1901. 


172  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

31    FAME 

Fame  is  what  you  have  taken, 

Character's  what  you  give; 
When  to  this  truth  you  awaken, 

Then  you  begin  to  live. 

— Bayard  Taylor 

Birthdays:  Joseph  Haydn,  a  famous  German  writer  of 
music,  bom  at  Rohran,  Lower  Austria,  March  31,  1732; 
died  in  Vienna,  Austria,  May  31,  1809. 

Andrew  Lang,  a  Scottish  writer  of  poems,  stories,  novels, 
etc.,  born  at  Selkirk,  Scotland,  March  31,  1844. 


APRIL 


1    ALL  FOOLS'  DAY 

Good-morning,    sweet    April, 

So  winsome  and  shy. 
With  a  smile  on  your  lip 

And  a  tear  in  your  eye; 
There  are  pretty  hepaticas 

Hid  in  your  hair, 
And  bonny  blue  violets 

Clustering  there. 

ALL  FOOLS'  DAY 

All  Fools'  Day  is  so  generally  observed  that  a  history 
of  its  origin  will  appeal  to  the  interest  of  pupils. 

The  day  was  first  celebrated  in  1466  at  the  Court  of 
Burgundy,  a  province  of  France.  Duke  Philip  of  Bur- 
gundy and  his  court  jester,  or  fool,  agreed  that  on  the  first 
day  of  April  each  should  try  his  wits  to  see  if  he  could 
get  the  better  jest  on  the  other.  The  terms  were  that  if 
the  jester  succeeded  in  hoaxing  the  Duke  he  was  to  be 
rewarded  with  his  cap  full  of  gold  ducats.  If  the  Duke 
hoaxed  the  jester  the  latter  was  to  forfeit  his  life.  Early 
in  the  morning  the  Duke  gave  his  jester  strong  drink  and 
the  latter  partook  freely  until  he  became  drunk.  While 
he  M^as  in  this  condition  the  Duke  summoned  some  of  the 
members  of  the  court,  tried  the  drunken  jester,  and  sen- 
tenced him  to  death.  The  executioner  was  called,  the  jester 
was  blindfolded  and  was  struck  a  mild  blow  on  the  neck 
with  a  stick  under  the  pretense  that  it  was  a  sword.  Warm 
blood  was  then  poured  on  his  neck  to  make  him  think 
he  was  bleeding.    The  Duke  and  others  standing  by  laughed 


174  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

heartily  at  the  deception.  But  the  jester  lay  seemingly 
lifeless.  After  a  little  time  some  one  cried  out,  "Terror 
has  killed  him." 

The  Duke  becoming  alarmed  sent  quickly  for  the  court 
doctors,  who  came  and  tried  their  skill  on  the  supposed 
dead  man.  Soon  thereafter  the  jester  opened  his  eyes, 
laughed  aloud,  and  said:  "April  fools,  all  of  you.  Now, 
Duke,  pay  me  my  gold."  From  this  incident  of  four  and 
a  half  centuries  ago  has  come  the  universal  custom  of  jesting 
on  April  the  first. — Popular  Educator 

Sing :  ' '  April !  April !  Are  You  Hero, ' '  from  Songs  in 
Season. 

Birthdays:  Prince  Otto  E.  L.  Bismarck-Schonhausen,  a 
famous  German  statesman  and  one  of  the  greatest  men  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  born  at  Schonhausen,  near  Magde- 
burg, Germany,  April  1,  1815;  died  on  his  estate  at 
Friedrichsruhe,  Germany,  July  30,  1898. 

Edwin  Austin  Abbey,  an  American  painter,  born  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April  1,  1852 ;  died  in  London,  England, 
Aug.  1,  1911.  Most  important  work:  A  series  of  panels 
m  the  Boston  Public  Library,  "The  Quest  of  the  Holy 
Grail." 

Special  Day:   All  Fools'  Day. 

2    FREEDOM 

We  hold  these  truths  to  be  self-evident;  that  all 
men  are  created  equal;  that  they  are  endowed  by  their 
Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights ;  and  that  among 
these  are   life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness. 

— Jefferson 

HANS  CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN 

There  are  few  children  who  have  not  heard  of  Hans 
Christian  Andersen  or  who  have  not  read  some  of  his 
stories.    Hans'  father,  a  poor  shoemaker,  died  when  Hans 


APRIL  175 

was  nine  years  old,  jind  his  mother  wanted  Hans  to  be  a 
tailor,  but  he  had  higher  notions.  lie  was  first  put  to  work 
in  a  factory  and  then  sent  to  school,  but  he  ran  away  from 
both  because  the  boys  laughed  at  his  ugliness  and  awk- 
wardness, and  thinking  it  best  to  let  him  do  as  he  pleased, 
his  mother  gave  him  some  money  to  go  to  Copenhagen. 
There  he  was  for  some  time  employed  in  the  theater,  and 
for  a  while  lived  on  charity,  but  at  last  became  acquainted 
with  the  Councillor  Collin,  who  noticing  his  brightness, 
got  the  King  to  have  him  educated  at  the  expense  of  the 
state.  At  this  time  he  had  written  a  few  poems,  and  when 
about  finishing  his  studies  he  published  a  book  called  A 
Journey  on  Foot  to  Amak,  in  which  he  made  fun  of  every- 
thing, and  which  had  a  large  sale  and  brought  him  consid- 
erable money.  Later  he  wrote  his  Fairy  Tales  and  Wonder 
Stories.  He  never  walked  the  streets  of  Copenhagen  with- 
out attracting  crowds  of  children.  The  boys  took  off  their 
hats  to  him  and  the  girls  courtesied  as  he  passed,  and  he 
had  a  kind  word  for  all.  Everybody  mourned  when  he 
died ;  and  when  subscriptions  were  being  taken  up  to  erect 
a  monument  to  him,  all  the  people  were  anxious  to  give 
something  to  help  honor  the  poor  shoemaker's  son  who  had 
done  so  much  for  the  children  of  all  the  world. 

Read:  Andersen's  "Five  Peas  in  a  Pod"  and  "The  Ugly 
Duckling." 

Birthdays:  Thomas  Jefferson,  third  president  of  the 
United  States,  bom  at  Shadwell,  Albemarle  County,  Va., 
April  2,  1743 ;  died  at  his  estate  of  J\Ionticello,  near  Char- 
lottesville, Va.,  July  4,  1826. 

Hans  Christian  Andersen,  a  famous  Danish  writer  for 
young  folks,  born  at  Odense,  in  the  island  of  Fiinen,  April 
2,  1805 ;  died  in  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  August  4,  1875. 

Frederic  A.  Bartholdi,  a  noted  French  sculptor,  born  at 
Colmar,  Alsace,  France,  April  2,  1834;  died  in  Paris, 
France,  October  4,  1904.    Among  his  works  are  the  statues 


176  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

of  Lafayette  in  Union  Square,  New  York  City,  and  Liberty 
Enlightening  the  World,  New  York  Harbor. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Kentucky  and  Maryland 
(usually  early  in  April).  (See  Arlor  Day,  April  19  and 
20,  this  book.) 

3    GEEATNESS 

Little  minds  are  tamed  and  subdued  by  misfortune, 
but    great    minds    rise    above    it. — Washington    Irving 

Read:  Hale's  The  Man  Without  a  Country;  Selections 
from  Irving 's  The  Sketch  Book. 

Sing:  "Do  Your  Best,"  and  "My  Country,"  from 
Hanson's  Gems  of  Song. 

Birthdays :  Bartolme  Esteban  Murillo,  a  famous  Spanish 
painter,  born  in  Seville,  Spain,  in  1617;  died  in  Seville, 
April  3,  1682. 

Washington  Irving,  a  famous  American  author,  bom  in 
New  York  City,  April  3,  1783;  died  at  Sunnyside,  his 
beautiful  home  at  Tarrytown,  N.  Y.,  November  28,  1859. 

Edward  Everett  Hale,  an  American  author  and  clergy- 
man, born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  April  3,  1822 ;  died  in  Roxbury, 
Mass.,  June  10,  1909. 

John  Burroughs,  an  American  writer  of  essays,  born  at 
Roxbury,  N.  Y.,  April  3,  1837. 

4    HELPFULNESS 

Look  up  and  not  down;  look  forward  and  not  back; 
look  out  and  not  in;   lend  a  hand. — E.  E.  Hale 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Missouri  (Friday  after  first 
Tuesday  in  April).  (See  Arlor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this 
book.) 

5    KIND  WORDS 

A   soft   answer   turneth    away   wrath;    but   grievous 
words  stir  up  anger. — Solomon 


APRIL  177 

MORE  PRECIOUS  THAN  RUBIES 

Would  it  not  please  you  to  pick  up  strings  of  pearls, 
drops  of  gold,  diamonds,  and  precious  stones,  as  you  pass 
along  the  street?     It  would  make  you  feel  happy  for  a 
month  to  come.     Such  a  happiness  you  can  give  to  others. 
Do  you  ask  how  ?    By  dropping  sweet  words,  kind  remarks, 
and  pleasant  smiles,  as  you  pass  along.     These  are  true 
pearls  and  precious  stones,  which  can  never  be  lost;  of 
which  none  can  deprive  you.     Speak  to  that  orphan  child ; 
see  the  diamonds  drop  from  her  cheeks.    Take  the  hand  of 
the  friendless  boy;  bright  pearls  flash  in  his  eyes.     Smile 
on  the  sad  and  dejected ;  a  joy  suffuses  his  cheek  more  bril- 
liant than  the  most  precious  stones.    By  the  wayside,  amid 
the  city's  din,  and  at  the  fireside  of  the  poor,  drop  words 
and  smiles  to  cheer  and  bless.    You  will  feel  happier  when 
resting  upon  your  pillow  at  the  close  of  the  day,  than  if  you 
had  picked  up  a  score  of  perishing  jewels.    The  latter  fade 
and  crumble  in  time;  the  former  grow  brighter  with  age, 
and  produce  happy  reflections  forever. — Selected 

Sing:   "Kind  Words,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  ScJiool  Songs. 

Birthdays:  Jules  Dupre,  a  noted  French  landscape 
painter,  born  at  Nantes,  France,  April  5,  1811;  died  at 
L'Isle  Adam,  France,  October  6,  1889. 

Algernon  Charles  Swinburne,  an  English  poet,  born  in 
London,  England,  April  5,  1837 ;  died  at  Putney,  England, 
April  10,  1909. 

6    THE  VOICE  OF  APRIL 

April  calling,  April  calling,  April  calling  me! 
I  hear  the  voice  of  April  there  in  each  old  apple-tree; 
Bee-boom  and  wild  perfume,  and  wood-brook  melody, 
O  hark,  my  heart,  and  hear,  my  heart,  the  April  ecstasy. 

— Madison  Cawein 

Read :  ' '  The  Story  of  a  Seed, ' '  from  Language  Through 
Nature,  Literature  and  Art. 


178  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Sing:    "Growing,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthday:  Kaphael  (or  Raffaelle  Sanzio)  the  greatest  of 
Italian  painters,  born  at  Urbino,  Italv,  April  6,  1483 ;  died 
April  6,  1520. 

7    KNOWLEDGE 

Books  are  yours, 
Within  whose  silent  chambers  treasure  lies 
Preserved   from   age  to   age;    more   precious   far 
Than  that  accumulated  store  of  gold 
And  orient  gems  which,  for  a  day  of  need, 
The  sultan  hides  deep  in  ancestral  tombs. 
These  hoards  of  truth  you  can  unlock  at  will. 

— Wordsworth 

SUCCESS  IN  LIFE 

When  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  was  asked  how  long  it  took 
him  to  prepare  one  of  his  masterly  discourses  that  had  just 
electrified  thousands,  he  promptly  replied,  "Forty  years." 

Birthday :  William  Wordsworth,  a  famous  English  poet, 
born  at  Cockemouth,  Cumberlandshire,  England,  April  7, 
1770 ;  died  at  Rydal  Mount,  England,  April  23,  1850. 

8    AMBITION 

Better  to  strive  and  climb, 

And  never  reach  the  goal, 
Than  to  drift  along  with  time. 

An   aimless,  worthless  soul. 
Aye,  better  climb  and  fall, 

Or  sow,  though  the  yield  be  small, 
Than  to  throw  away  day  after  day, 

And  never  strive  at  all. 

— Margaret  Sangater 

Read :    *  *  Gonard  and  the  Pine  Tree, ' '  from  Bailey  and 
Lewis'  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

Sing:  "Let's  Higher  Climb,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School 
Songs. 


APRIL  179 

9    FLATTERY 

No  flattery,   boy!   an  honest  man  can't  live  by  it. 

It  is  a  little   sneaking  art,   which   knaves 

Use  to  cajole  and  soften  fools  withal. 

If  thou  hast  flattery  in  thy  nature,  out  with  it, 

Or  send  it  to  a  court  where  it  will  thrive. 

— Otway 

AX  GRINDING 

BY  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 

When  I  was  a  little  boy,  I  remember,  one  cold  winter's 
morning,  I  was  accosted  by  a  smiling  man  with  an  ax  on 
his  shoulder.  ' '  My  pretty  boy, ' '  said  he,  ' '  has  your  father 
a  grindstone  ? ' ' 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  I. 

"You  are  a  fine  little  fellow!"  said  he.  "Will  you  let 
me  grind  my  ax  on  it  ? " 

Pleased  with  the  compliment  of  "fine  little  fellow,"  "Oh, 
yes,  sir,"  I  answered.    "It  is  down  in  the  shop." 

"And  will  you,  my  man,"  said  he,  patting  me  on  the 
head,  "get  me  a  little  hot  water?" 

How  could  I  refuse?    I  ran,  and  soon  brought  a  kettleful. 

"How  old  are  you? — and  what's  your  name?"  continued 
he,  without  waiting  for  a  reply.  "I'm  sure  you  are  one  of 
the  finest  lads  that  I  have  ever  seen.  Will  you  just  turn  a 
few  minutes  for  me  ? " 

Tickled  with  the  flattery,  like  a  little  fool,  I  went  to  work, 
and  bitterly  did  I  rue  the  day.  It  was  a  new  ax,  and  I 
toiled  and  tugged  till  I  was  almost  tired  to  death.  The 
school  bell  rang,  and  I  could  not  get  away.  My  hands  were 
blistered,  and  the  ax  was  not  half  ground. 

At  length,  however,  it  was  sharpened,  and  the  man 
turned  to  me  with,  "Now,  you  little  rascal,  you've  played 
truant!    Scud  to  the  school,  or  you'll  rue  it!" 

' '  Alas ! ' '  thought  I,  "it  was  hard  enough  to  turn  a  grind- 


ISO  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

stone  this  cold  day,  but  now  to  be  called  a  little  rascal  is 
too  much." 

It  sank  deep  into  my  mind,  and  often  have  I  thought  of 
it  since.  "When  I  see  a  merchant  over-polite  to  his  cus- 
tomers, begging  them  to  take  a  little  brandy,  and  throwing 
his  goods  on  the  counter,  thinks  I,  "That  man  has  an  ax 
to  grind." 

When  I  see  a  man  flattering  the  people,  making  great 
professions  of  attachment  to  liberty,  who  is  in  private  life 
a  tyrant,  methinks,  "Look  out,  good  people!  That  fellow 
would  set  you  turning  grindstones ! ' ' 

When  I  see  a  man  hoisted  into  office  by  party  spirit, 
without  a  single  qualification  to  render  him  either  respect- 
able or  useful,  "  Alas  !"  methinks,  "deluded  people,  you  are 
doomed  for  a  season  to  turn  the  grindstone  for  a  booby." 

Birthday :  Maria  Susanna  Cummins,  an  American  nov- 
elist, born  at  Salem,  Mass.,  April  9,  1827;  died  at  Dor- 
chester, Mass.,  October  1,  1866.  Author  of  The  Lamp- 
lighter. 

10    AN  APRIL  MORNING 

A  gush  of  bird  song,  a  patter  of  dew, 
A  cloud  and  a  rainbow's  warning; 

Sudden  sunshine  and  perfect  blue — 
An   April   day   in   the  morning. 

— Harriet  ^pofford 

Birthday:  Lewis  Wallace,  an  American  soldier  and 
writer,  born  at  Broolrville,  Ind.,  April  10,  1827;  died  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1905.  Best  kno%vn  for  his  story  called  Ben-Hur: 
A  Tale  of  the  Christ. 

11    PERSEVERANCE 

Not  enjoyment  and  not  sorrow 

Is  our  destined  end  or  way; 
But   to  act  that  each   to-morrow 

Find    us    farther    than    to-day. 
— From  "The  Psalm  of  Life,"  by  Longfellow 


APRIL 

KEEPING  AT  IT 

There  had  been  a  heavy  fall  of  snow,  and  a  little  boy 
was  shoveling  a  path  in  front  of  his  mother's  door.  "How 
do  you  expect  to  get  through  that  deep  snow  with  so  small 
a  shovel  ? ' '  asked  a  man,  who  saw  that  the  child  was  using 
a  coal-shovel. 

There  was  a  determined  look  on  the  boy's  face.  "By 
keeping  at  it,  sir,"  said  the  little  fellow;  "that's  how." 

' '  I  believe  you  are  right, ' '  said  the  man ;  ' '  that 's  the  way 
to  do  almost  anything." 

Read:  "A  Cow  His  Capital,"  from  Harden 's  Stories 
from  Life;  Bible,  Prov.  30 :  24-28. 

Sing:     "Time  is  Short,"  from  Silvery  Notes. 

Birthday:  William  Ordway  Partridge,  an  American 
sculptor,  born  in  Paris,  France,  April  11,  1861 ;  his  studio 
is  in  New  York  City. 

12    SUCCESS 

I   would  rather  be  right  than   president. 

— Henry  Clay 

"PRACTICE  MAKES  PERFECT" 

Henry  Clay,  when  giving  advice  to  young  men,  said,  ' '  I 
owe  my  success  in  life  to  one  circumstance,  that  at  the  age 
of  twenty-seven  I  began  and  continued  for  years,  the  process 
of  daily  reading  and  speaking  upon  the  contents  of  some 
historical  or  scientific  book.  These  off-hand  efforts  were 
made,  sometimes  in  a  cornfield,  at  others  in  the  forest,  and 
not  unfrequently  in  some  distant  barn,  with  the  horse  and 
the  ox  for  my  auditors.  It  is  to  this  early  practice  of  the 
art  of  all  arts  that  I  am  indebted  for  the  primary  and 
leading  impulses  that  stimulated  me  onward  and  have 
shaped  and  moulded  my  whole  subsequent  destiny. ' ' 

Birthday :  Henry  Clay,  an  American  statesman,  born 
near  Richmond,  Va.,  April  12,  1777 ;  died  June  29,  1852. 


182  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

13    FAITH 

Shall   we  grow   wearj'   in   our   watch, 

And  murmur  at  the  long  delay? 
Impatient  of  our  Father's  time 

And  his  appointed  way? 

—Whittier 

UNDER  THE  LEAVES 

BY  ALBERT  LAIGHTON 

Oft  have  I  walked  these  woodland  paths, 
Without  the  blessed  foreknowing 

That  underneath  the  withered  leaves 
The  fairest  buds  were  growing. 

To-day  the  south  wind  sweeps  away 

The  types  of  autumn's  splendor, 
And  shows  the  sweet  arbutus  flowers, — 

Spring's  children,  pure  and  tender. 

O  prophet-flowers! — with  lips  of  bloom, 

Outvying  in  your  beauty, 
The  pearly  tints  of  ocean  shells, — 

Ye  teach  me  faith  and  duty ! 

Walk  life's  dark  ways,  ye  seem  to  say. 

With  love's  divine  foreknowing, 
That  where  man  sees  but  withered  leaves, 

God  sees  sweet  flowers  growing. 

Read:     "The  King's  Birthday,"  from  Lindsay's  Mother 
Stones. 
Sing:    "God's  Care,"  from  Silvery  Notes. 

14    TIME 

There  are  no  fragments  so  precious  as  those  of  time, 
and  none  so  heedlessly  lost  b_v  people  who  cannot  make 
a  moment,  and  yet  can  waste  years. — Montgomery 


APRIL  183 

Read:  "The  Discontented  Pendulum"  and  "What  the 
Clock  Told  Polly,"  from  Poulsson's  In  the  Child's  World. 

Birthdays:  Christian  Huygens,  a  famous  Dutch  astron- 
omer, born  at  The  Hague,  Netherlands,  April  14,  1629 ;  died 
at  The  Hague,  July  8,  1695.  Known  chiefly  for  his  dis- 
coveries in  astronomy ;  is  also  the  inventor  of  the  pendulum 
clock;  and  the  first  watch  with  a  hair-spring  was  made 
under  his  direction  and  sent  to  England. 

Elbridge  S.  Brooks,  an  American  writer  for  young  folks, 
born  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  April  14,  1846 ;  died  January  7,  1902. 

15    KINDNESS 

How  manj'  deeds  of  kindness 

A  little  child  may  do, 
Although  it  has  so  little  strength. 

And  little  wisdom  too! 
It  wants  a  loving  spirit, 

Much  more  than  strength,  to  prove 
How  many  things  a  child  may  do 

For  others,  by  its  love. 

— Lucy  Larcom 

QUESTIONS 

Can  you  put  the  spider's  web  back  in  its  place,  that  once 

has  been  swept  away"! 
Can  you  put  the  apple  again  on  the  bough,  which  fell  at  our 

feet  to-day? 
Can  you  put  the  lily-cup  back  on  the  stem,  and  cause  it  to 

live  and  grow? 
Can  you  mend  the  butterfly's  broken  wing,  that  you  crushed 

with  a  hasty  blow? 
Can  you  put  the  bloom  again  on  the  grape,  or  the  grape 

again  on  the  vine? 
Can  you  put  the  dewdrop  back  on  the  flower,  and  make 

them  sparkle  and  shine? 
Can  you  put  the  petals  back  on  the  rose?     If  you  could, 

would  it  smell  as  sweet? 


184  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Can  you  put  the  flower  again  in  the  husk,  and  show  me  the 

ripened  wheat? 
Can  you  put  the  kernel  back  in  the  nut,  or  the  broken  egg 

in  its  shell  ? 
Can  you  put  the  honey  back  in  the  comb,  and  cover  with 

wax  each  cell  ? 
Can  you  put  the  perfume  back  in  the  vase,  when  once  it 

has  sped  away  ? 
Can  you  put  the  corn-silk  back  on  the  com,  or  the  down 

on  the  catkins — say  ? 
You  think  my  questions  are  trifling,  dear  ?    Let  me  ask  you 

another  one: 
Can  a  hasty  word  ever  be  unsaid,  or  a  deed  unkind,  undone  ? 

— Selected 

Birthday:  Lucy  Larcom,  an  American  writer,  born  in 
Beverly,  Mass.,  1826 ;  died  in  Beverly,  Mass.,  April  15, 1893. 

Special  Days :  Arbor  Day  in  Utah.  Arbor  Day  in  Ohio 
(second  or  third  Friday  in  April).  (See  Arbor  Day,  April 
19  and  20.) 

16    COUETESY 

In  all  the  affairs  of  human  life,  social  as  well  as 
political,  I  have  remarked  that  courtesies  of  a  small 
and  trivial  character  are  the  ones  which  strike  deepest 
to  the  grateful  and  appreciating  heart. — Henry  Clay 

LINCOLN'S  SENTIMENT  AND  AUTOGRAPH 


( ( 


Abraham  Lincoln  once  received  a  letter  asking  for  a 
sentiment"  and  his  autograph.  He  replied:  "Dear 
Madam:  When  you  ask  from  a  stranger  that  which  is  of 
interest  only  to  j'ourself,  always  inclose  a  stamp;  there's 
your  sentiment,  and  here's  your  autograph.    A.  Lincoln 


> » 


Tell  about  the  Wright  brothers  and  their  invention  of  the 
aeroplane  (machine  heavier  than  air,  driven  by  an  engine). 


APRIL  185 

Read:  "Darius  Green  and  His  Flying  Machine." 
Birthday :     Wilbur  Wright,  an  American  aeronaut,  bom 
near  Millville,  Ind.,  April  16,  1867.     His  brother,  also  an 
aeronaut,  was  born  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  Aug.  19,  1871. 

17    DAY  AND  NIGHT 

This  is  the  east,  where  the  sun  gets  up. 

And  now  we  call  it  day. 
He  doesn't  stop  to  yawn  or  fret; 

He  has  no  time  to  play. 

This  is  the  west,  where  the  sun  goes  to  bed; 

Slowly  he  sinks  out  of  sight, 
Then  one  by  one  the  pretty  stars  come. 

And  now  we  call  it  night. 

— Miss  8.  C.  Peabody 

Sing :  ' '  Evening  Prayer, ' '  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary 
Songs. 

18    WORK 

Never  you  mind  the  crowd,  lad. 

Nor  fancy  your  life  won't  tell; 
The  work  is  done  for  all  that, 

To  him  who  doeth  it  well. 

Fancy  the  world  a  hill,  lad. 

Look  where  the  millions  stop, 
You'll  find  the  crowd  at  the  base,  lad, 

But  there's  always  room  at  the  top. 

Read :  ' '  The  Boy  Who  Wanted  to  Learn, ' '  from  Cabot  *s 
Ethics  for  Children  (adapted  from  Chapter  II  of  Up  from 
Slavery,  by  Booker  T.  Washington). 

Birthdays :  Booker  Taliaferro  Washington,  an  American 
writer  and  educator,  born  a  slave  at  Hale 's  Ford,  Va.,  April 
18, 1858  ;  lives  at  Tuskegee,  Ala. 

Richard  Harding  Davis,  an  American  author,  bom  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April  18,  1864 ;  lives  at  Mt.  Kisco,  N.  Y. 


186  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

19  AEBOR  DAY 

[The  Festival  of  the  Trees] 

Showers  and  sunshine  bring, 
Slowly,  the  deepening  verdure  o'er  the  earth; 
To  put  their  foliage  out,  the  woods  are  slack, 
And  one  by  one  the  singing  birds  come  back. 

— Bryant 

ARBOR  DAY 

Arbor  Day  is  a  designated  day  upon  which  the  people 
and  especially  the  school  children  plant  trees  and  shrubs 
along  the  highways  and  other  suitable  places.  It  was  first 
observed  in  Nebraska.  The  state  board  of  agriculture 
offered  prizes  for  the  counties  and  persons  planting  the 
largest  number  of  trees,  and  it  is  said  that  more  than  a 
million  trees  were  planted  the  first  year,  while  within  six- 
teen years  over  350,000,000  trees  and  vines  were  planted 
in  the  state. 

This  custom,  so  beautiful  and  useful,  spread  rapidly,  and 
now  is  recognized  by  the  statutes  of  many  of  the  states. 

The  exact  date  naturally  varies  with  the  climate. 

— Our  Holidays 

Read :  Bryant 's  '  *  The  Planting  of  the  Apple-Tree ' '  and 
"A  Forest  Hymn;"  Lucy  Larcom's  "Plant  a  Tree."  See 
also  Kellogg 's  How  to  Celebrate  Arbor  Day  for  additional 
material  and  suggestions. 

Sing:  "Arbor  Day,"  from  So7igs  in  Season;  "Happy 
Arbor  Day"  and  "The  Day  of  Planting,"  from  Uncle 
Sam's  School  So7igs. 

Special  Day :  Arbor  and  Bird  Days  in  Illinois  (usually 
the  third  Friday  in  April  and  the  third  Friday  in  October). 

20  ARBOR  DAY 

[Continued] 

When  we  plant  a  tree  we  are  doing  what  we  can  to 
make  our  planet  a  more  wholesome  and  happier  dwell- 
ing place  for  those  who  come  after  us,  if  not  for  our- 
selves.— Oliver  ^Yendell  Holmes 


APRIL  187 

PLANTING  TREES  FOR  OTHERS 

A  VEEY  poor  and  aged  man,  busied  in  planting  and  graft- 
ing an  apple  tree,  was  rudely  interrupted  by  this  interro- 
gation:  "Why  do  you  plant  trees,  who  cannot  hope  to  eat 
the  fruit  of  them?"  He  raised  himself  up,  and  leaning 
upon  his  spade,  replied:  "Some  one  planted  trees  for  me 
before  I  was  born,  and  I  have  eaten  the  fruit ;  I  now  plant 
for  others,  that  the  memorial  of  my  gratitude  may  exist 
when  I  am  dead  and  gone." 

Birthday :  Daniel  C.  French,  an  American  sculptor,  boru 
at  Exeter,  N.  H.,  April  20,  1850;  has  his  studio  in  New 
York  City.  Among  his  works  are  the  "Minute  Man  of 
Concord,"  at  Concord,  Mass.,  the  colossal  statue  of  "The 
Republic,"  Columbian  Exposition,  Chicago,  and  others. 

21  HEROISM 

Heroism  is  simple,  and  yet  it  is  rare.    Every  one  who 
does  the  best  he  can  is  a  hero. — Josh  Billings. 

Birthdays:  Friedrich  Froebel,  a  German  teacher, 
founder  of  the  kindergarten  system,  born  at  Oberweissbach, 
Germany,  April  21,  1782;  died  at  Marienthal,  Germany, 
June  21,  1852. 

Henry  Wheeler  Shaw,  an  American  humorist,  best  known 
under  his  pen-name  of  "Josh  Billings,"  born  at  Lanes- 
borough,  Mass.,  April  21,  1818 ;  died  in  Monterey,  Cal., 
October  14,  1885. 

John  Charles  Van  Dj'ke,  an  American  author,  born  in 
New  Brunswick,  N.  J,,  April  21,  1856 ;  lives  in  New 
Brunswick. 

22  BIRD  DAY  O 

There  is  a  bird  I  know  so  well, 

It  seems  as  if  he  must  have  sung 

Beside  my  crib  when  I  was  young; 
Before  I  knew  the  way  to  spell 


188  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

The  name  of  even  the  smallest  bird, 
His  gentle,  joyful  song  I  heard. 
— From  ''The  Song  Sparrow"  by  Henry  Van  Dyke 

Read:  Miller's  True  Bird  Stories;  Bible,  Song  of  Solo- 
mon 2 :  11-12.  Have  pupils  collect  and  recite  quotations 
about  birds  from  various  authors. 

Sing:  "Bird  Day,"  ''The  Bluebird,"  ** Little  Blue 
Jay,"  "Bob  White,"  "Crow  Calculations,"  "Little  Bird 
with  Eager  Wing,"  "Robert  of  Lincoln,"  "The  Sparrow," 
' '  The  Clacker, ' '  all  in  Songs  in  Seaso7i. 

Birthday:  James  Buchanan,  fifteenth  president  of  the 
United  States,  born  at  Stony  Batter,  Franklin  Coimty,  Pa., 
April  22,  1791 ;  died  on  his  farm  called  Wheatlands,  at 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  June  1,  1868, 


23     TRUTH 

This  above  all,  to  thine  own  self  be  true; 
And  it  must  follow  as  the  night  the  day, 
Thou  canst  not  then  be  false  to  any  man. 

— Shakespeare 

Read:  Story  of  Shakespeare's  life,  from  Baldwin's 
Reader,  Book  8;  Jones'  Reader,  Book  4;  or  Cyr's  Reader, 
Book  5. 

Birthdays:  William  Shakespeare,  the  greatest  English 
playwriter  and  poet,  born  in  Stratford-upon-Avon,  War- 
wickshire, England,  in  April,  1564 ;  died  at  Stratford-upon- 
Avon,  April  23,  1616. 

Joseph  M.  W.  Turner,  a  famous  English  painter,  born  in 
London,  England,  April  23,  1775;  died  in  Chelsea,  Eng- 
land, December  19,  1851. 

Stephen  A.  Douglas,  an  American  statesman,  born  in 
Brandon,  Vt.,  April  23,  1813;  died  in  Chicago,  111.,  June 
3,  1861. 

Edwin  Markham,  an  American  poet,  born  in  Oregon  City, 
Ore.,  April  23,  1852 ;  lives  at  West  New  Brighton,  N.  Y. 


APRIL  189 

Thomas  Nelson  Page,  an  American  author,  born  in  Han- 
over County,  Va.,  April  23,  1853. 

24    HONOR 

Handsome  is  as  handsome  does. — Goldsmith 

Read :  Goldsmith 's  The  Deserted  Village  and  The  Vicar 
of  Wakefield;  biography  of  Goldsmith,  from  Baldwin's 
Reader,  Book  J,  or  Cyr's  Beader,  Book  5.  Biography  of 
Daniel  Defoe  in  Graded  Literature  Reader,  Book  5;  Bible, 
Prov.  27 :  9-10. 

Sing:  "Robinson  Crusoe,"  from  Songs  Every  One 
Should  Know. 

Birthdays:  Daniel  Defoe,  a  famous  English  writer,  au- 
thor of  Rohinson  Crusoe,  born  in  London,  England,  in  1661 ; 
died  in  London,  April  24,  1731. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Nebraska  and  (usually)  in 
New  Jersey  (third  Friday  in  April).  (See  Arbor  Day, 
April  19  and  20.) 

25    SELF-SACRIFICE 

Hang  me  to  the  yard-arm  of  your  ship,  if  you  will, 
but  do  not  ask  me  to  become  a  traitor  to  my' country. 

— Nathan  Coffin 

A  REAL  HERO 

The  British  troops  were  occupying  Yorktown,  which 
was  besieged  by  the  Revolutionary  army.  Governor  Nelson 
had  his  residence  at  Yorktown,  and  one  would  suppose  that 
he  would  have  been  anxious  to  protect  it.  The  Federal 
troops  were  bombarding  the  town,  when  General  Lafayette 
said  to  Nelson,  "To  what  particular  spot  would  your 
Excellency  direct  that  we  point  the  cannon?"  "There," 
promptly  replied  the  noble-minded  patriot — "to  that  house; 
it  is  mine  and  is  the  best  one  you  can  find  in  the  town; 
there  you  will  be  most  certain  to  find  Lord  Cornwallis  and 


190  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

the  British  headquarters."  This  incident  is  narrated  in 
Custis'  life  of  Washington,  a  volume  which  contains  many 
thrilling  anecdotes  that  show  the  self-sacrificing  spirit  of 
those  early  heroes  who  by  their  toils  and  sufferings  laid 
the  foundation  of  our  national  life  and  glory. 

Tell  the  children  something  about  wireless  telegraphy  and 
the  graphophone. 

Sing:  "The  Battle  Prayer,"  from  Songs  Every  One 
Should  Know. 

Birthdays:  Constance  Gary  Harrison  (Mrs.  Burton 
Harrison),  an  American  writer  of  novels  and  stories,  born 
in  Virginia,  April  25,  1846 ;  lives  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

Charles  Sumner  Tainter,  an  American  inventor,  born  in 
Watertown,  Mass.,  April  25,  1854;  lives  in  Washington, 
D.  C.    He  was  the  inventor  of  the  graphophone. 

Guglielmo  ]Marconi,  an  Italian  inventor,  born  at  Griffone, 
near  Bologna.  Italy,  April  25,  1874.  Inventor  of  wireless 
telegraphy. 

26    CHARACTER 

The  fruit,  when  the  blossom  is  blighted,  will  fall; 
The  sin  will  be  searched  out,  no  matter  how  small; 
So  what  you're  ashamed  to  do,  don't  do  at  all. 

— Alice  Cary 

Read:  Alice  Gary's  "The  Pig  and  the  Hen,"  "A  Les- 
son of  Mercy,"  "Work,"  "Don't  Give  Up,"  and  "Old 
Maxims;"  Bible,  Prov.  12:19-22.  (See  "The  Story  of 
Phoebe  Cary,"  September  4,  this  book.) 

Birthdays:  Alice  Cary,  an  American  poet,  born  near 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  April  26,  1820 ;  died  in  New  York  City, 
February  12,  1871. 

Martha  Finley,  the  pen-name  of  Martha  Farquharson,  an 
American  \\Titer  for  young  folks,  born  in  Chillicothe,  Ohio, 
April  26,  1828 ;  died  in  Elkton,  Md.,  Jan.  30,  1909. 

Charles   F.    Browne    (Artemas   Warde),    an    American 


APRIL  191 

humorist,  born  at  Waterford,  Me.,  April  26,  1834;  died  in 
Southampton,  England,  March  6,  1867. 

27    TRYING       # 

"I'll  try"  is  a  soldier, 
"I  will"  is  a  king; 
Be  sure  they  are  near 
When  the  school  bells  ring. 

When  school  days  are  over. 
And  boys  are  men, 
"I'll  try"  and  "I  will" 
Are  good  friends  then. 

TOIL  SPELLS  SUCCESS 

Samuel  F.  B.  Morse  was  the  discoverer  of  the  telegraph. 
The  magnetic  principle  on  which  the  invention  depends  had 
been  knowTi  since  1774,  but  Professor  Morse  was  the  first 
to  apply  that  principle  for  the  benefit  of  men.  He  began 
his  experiments  in  1832,  and  five  years  afterward  succeeded 
in  obtaining  a  patent  on  his  invention.  Then  followed 
another  long  delay ;  and  it  was  not  until  the  last  day  of  the 
session  in  1843  that  he  procured  from  Congress  an  appro- 
priation of  $30,000.  With  that  appropriation  was  con- 
structed, between  Baltimore  and  Washington,  the  first  tele- 
graphic line  in  the  world.  Perhaps  no  other  invention  has 
exercised  a  more  beneficent  influence  on  the  welfare  of  the 
human  race. 

Bead:    Owen  Wister's  short  life  of  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Birthdays:  Samuel  F.  B.  Morse,  the  inventor  of  the 
electric  telegraph,  born  in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  April  27, 
1791 ;  died  in  New  York  City,  April  2,  1872. 

Herbert  Spencer,  a  famous  English  philosopher,  bom  in 
Derby,  England,  April  27,  1820 ;  died  in  Brighton,  England, 
December  8,  1903. 

Ulysses    Simpson    Grant,    eighteenth    president    of    the 


192  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

United  States,  born  at  Point  Pleasant,  Ohio,  April  27, 1822 ; 
died  at  Mt.  Gregor,  N.  Y.,  July  23,  1885. 

28    POLITENESS 

Good  manners  cannot  be  put  on  at  pleasure,  like  an 
outside  coat,  but  must  belong  to  us. 

"THE  POLITEST  CLERK" 

"One  time  when  Ulysses  S.  Grant  was  in  Chicago,"  said 
an  army  official,  "he  lounged  about  Sheridan's  headquar- 
ters a  good  deal.  His  son  Fred  was,  at  that  time,  on  Sheri- 
dan's  staff,  but  was  absent  one  day;  and  Grant  took  his 
place  at  Fred 's  desk,  to  look  after  the  business.  A  nervous, 
fidgety,  irritable  old  fellow  came  in  to  inquire  for  some 
paper  that  he  had  left  with  Fred.  When  he  stated  his  case, 
Grant  took  up  the  matter  in  a  sympathetic  way,  and  pro- 
ceeded, after  the  manner  of  an  over-anxious  clerk,  to  look 
the  paper  up.  The  document  could  not  be  found;  and 
Grant,  apologizing,  walked  with  the  old  gentleman  to  the 
door.  As  I  walked  down  the  stairs  with  the  mollified  visitor, 
he  turned  and  asked :  '  Who  is  that  old  codger  ?  He  is  the 
politest  clerk  I  ever  saw  at  military  headquarters.  I  hope 
that  Sheridan  will  keep  him.'  I  answered  quietly,  'That  is 
General  Grant.'  The  fidgety  old  gentleman,  after  staring 
at  me  for  a  full  minute,  said,  with  considerable  fervor,  'I 
will  give  you  fifty  cents,  if  you  will  kick  me  downstairs.'  " 

— Chicago  Tribune 

Read:  "The  Monroe  Doctrine."  declaring  that  the 
United  States  would  not  interfere  in  any  European  war, 
nor  permit  any  European  power  to  get  too  much  influence 
on  this  hemisphere.  (During  Monroe's  first  terra,  Illinois, 
Mississippi  and  Maine  became  states  of  the  Union  and 
Spain  gave  up  her  possessions  in  Florida  to  the  United 
States.  Monroe  was  one  of  the  best  presidents  this  country 
has  ever  had.) 


APRIL  193 

Birthdays :  James  Monroe,  fifth  president  of  the  United 
States,  born  in  Westmoreland  County,  Va.,  April  28,  1758 ; 
died  in  New  York  City,  July  4,  1831. 

James  Grant  Wilson,  an  American  author,  born  in  New 
York  City,  April  28,  1832 ;  lives  in  New  York  City. 


29    SOWING 

The  best  and  highest  thing  a  man  can  do  in  a  day  is 
to  sow  a  seed,  whether  it  be  in  the  shape  of  a  word,  an 
act,  or  an  acorn. 

ARBOR  DAY 

0  Painter  of  the  fruits  and  flowers, 

We  thank  thee  for  thy  wise  design, 
Whereby  these  human  hands  of  ours 

In  Nature's  garden  work  with  thine. 

Give  fools  their  gold;  give  knaves  their  power; 

Let  fortune's  bubbles  rise  and  fall; 
Who  sows  a  field,  or  trains  a  flower 

Or  plants  a  tree,  is  more  than  all. 

Special  Days:  Arbor  Day  in  Michigan  and  Massachu- 
setts (last  Friday  in  April).  Arbor  Day  in  Connecticut 
(last  Friday  in  April  or  first  Friday  in  May).  Arbor  Day 
in  Minnesota  and  Vermont  (latter  part  of  April  or  first 
part  of  May).  (See  Arbor  Day,  April  19  and  20, 
this  book.) 

30    PLEASURES 

Pleasures  are  like  poppies  spread, 

You   seize  the  flower,   its   bloom   is   shed; 

Or  like  a  snowflake  in  the  river, 

A  moment  white  then  lost  forever. 

— Burns 


194  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

THE  PLEASURE  OF  DOING  GOOD 

A  NEWSBOY  took  the  Sixth  Avenue  elevated  railroad  cars 
at  Park  Place,  New  York,  at  noon  on  Thanksgiving  Day, 
and  sliding  into  one  of  the  cross  seats  fell  asleep.  At 
Grand  Street  two  young  women  got  on  and  took  seats 
opposite  the  lad.  His  feet  were  bare  and  his  hat  had  fallen 
off.  Presently  one  of  the  yoimg  girls  leaned  over  and 
placed  her  muff  under  the  little  fellow's  dirty  cheek.  An 
old  gentleman  smiled  at  the  act,  and,  without  saying  any- 
thing, held  out  a  quarter  with  a  nod  toward  the  boy.  The 
girl  hesitated  for  a  moment  and  then  reached  for  it.  The 
next  man  as  silently  offered  a  dime,  a  woman  across  the 
aisle  held  out  some  pennies,  and  before  she  knew  it,  the 
girl,  with  flaming  cheeks,  had  taken  money  from  every 
passenger  in  that  end  of  the  car.  She  quietly  slipped  the 
amoimt  into  the  sleeping  lad's  pocket,  removed  her  muff 
gently  from  under  his  head  without  arousing  him,  and  got 
off  at  Twenty-third  street,  including  all  the  passengers  in 
a  pretty  little  inclination  of  her  head  that  seemed  full  of 
thanks.  —Exchange 

Sing:    "Merry  Springtime,"  from  Merry  Melcrdies. 


# 


MAY 

1    MAY-DAY 

Who  shall  be  queen  of  the  May? 

Not  the  prettiest  one,  not  the  wittiest  one! 

Nor  she  with  the  gown  most  gay! 

But  she  that  is  pleasantest  all  the  day  through, 
With  the  pleasantest  things  to  say  and  to  do, — 

Oh,  she  shall  be  Queen  of  the  May! 

MAY-DAY  IN  ENGLAND 

In  England  the  first  day  of  May  was  in  the  olden  time 
the  most  delightful  holiday  of  all  the  year.  It  was  the  day 
on  which  the  nation  expressed  its  joy  at  the  return  of 
summer.  The  wild  flowers  were  in  bloom  and  it  was  suffi- 
ciently warm  for  out-of-door  parties.  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing the  merry  girls  often  covered  themselves  with  gowns 
of  green  leaves  and  garlands  of  flowers.  The  jolly  boys 
blew  their  horns  and  waved  the  branches  of  trees  which 
they  had  gathered  in  the  woods.  This  is  what  is  called 
bringing  home  the  May. 

In  the  afternoon  the  children  would  all  meet  on  the  lawn 
or  village  green  and  dance  around  the  Maypole.  They 
would  choose  one  girl  to  be  queen  of  the  May,  and  would 
crown  her  head  with  flowers  and  place  a  mat  of  flowers 
under  her  feet. 

Read:  Tennyson's  ''The  May  Queen;"  "May,"  by 
Celia  Thaxter, 

Sing :  "The  May  Queen "  and  " May  Day, ' '  from  Songs 
in  Season;  "May,"  from  Merry  Melodies;  "May-Day 
Song,"  from  Uticle  Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthdays :    John  Dry  den,  an  English  poet,  born  at  Aid- 


196  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

winkle,  Northamptonsliire,  England,  August  9,  1631 ;  died 
May  1,  1700. 

Joseph  Addison,  an  English  author,  born  at  Milston, 
Wiltshire,  England,  May  1,  1672;  died  June  17,  1719. 

Arthur  W.  (Duke  of)  Wellington,  a  famous  British  gen- 
eral and  statesman,  born  near  Dublin,  Ireland,  May  1,  1769 ; 
died  near  Deal,  England,  Sept.  14,  1852. 

George  Innes,  an  American  painter,  born  in  Newburgh, 
N.  Y.,  May  1,  1825 ;  died  in  Scotland,  Aug.  3,  1894.  He 
was  one  of  the  best  of  American  landscape  painters. 

Jules  A.  Breton,  a  French  painter,  born  at  Courrieres, 
France,  May  1,  1827. 

2    ERRORS 

Errors,  like  straws,  upon  the  surface  flow, 
He  who  would  search  for  pearls  must  dive  below. 

— Dryden 

Birthdays :  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  a  famous  Italian  painter, 
born  near  Florence,  Italy,  in  1452;  died  near  Amboise, 
France,  May  2,  1519. 

William  Clyde  Fitch,  an  American  author  and  play- 
wright, born  in  New  York  City,  May  2,  1865;  died  in 
France,  Sept.  4,  1909. 

3    KINDNESS 

I  shall  pass  this  way  but  once.  Any  good  thing  there- 
fore that  I  can  do,  or  any  kindness  that  I  can  show  to 
any  human  being,  let  me  do  it  now.  Let  me  not  defer  it 
or  neglect  it,  for  I  shall  not  pass  this  way  again. 

— Gilpin 

GENEROUS  FORBExVRANCE 

A  MAN  who  had  done  Sir  Matthew  Hale  a  great  injury 
came  afterward  to  him  for  his  advice  in  the  settlement  of 
his  estate.  Sir  Matthew  gave  his  advice  very  frankly  to 
him,  but  would  accept  of  no  fee  for  it ;  and  thereby  showed, 


MAY  197 

both  that  he  could  forgive  as  a  Christian,  and  that  he  had 
the  spirit  of  a  gentleman,  not  to  take  money  from  one  who 
had  wronged  him  so  grievously.  When  he  was  as"ked  how 
he  could  use  a  man  so  kindly  who  had  wronged  him  so 
much,  his  answer  was,  he  thanked  God  he  had  learned  to 
forget  injuries. 

Special  Days:  Arbor  Day  in  Maine  (usually  the  early 
part  of  May).  Arbor  Day  in  New^  York  (Friday  following 
first  day  of  May).  Arbor  Day  in  North  Dakota  (first  Fri- 
day in  May).    (See  Arhor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 


4    AUDUBON'S  BIRTHDAY 

God  sent  liis  singers  upon  earth 
With  songs  of  gladness  and  of  mirth 
That  they  might  touch  the  hearts  of  men 
And    bring    them    back    to    heaven    again. 

— Longfellow 

A  LESSON  IN  PERSEVERANCE 

Audubon,  the  celebrated  American  ornithologist,  relates 
the  following  story  of  how  he  learned  a  lesson  of  perse- 
verance under  adversity:  "An  accident,"  he  sa^^s,  "which 
happened  to  two  himdred  of  my  original  drawings,  nearly 
put  a  stop  to  my  researches  in  ornithologA\  I  shall  relate 
it,  merely  to  show  how  far  enthusiasm — for  by  no  other 
name  can  I  call  my  perseverance — may  enable  the  preserver 
of  nature  to  surmount  the  most  disheartening  difficulties. 
I  left  the  village  of  Henderson,  in  Kentucky,  situated  on 
the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  where  I  resided  for  several  years,  to 
proceed  to  Philadelphia  on  business.  I  looked  to  my  draw- 
ings before  my  departure,  placed  them  carefully  in  a 
wooden  box,  and  gave  them  in  charge  of  a  relative,  with 
injunctions  to  see  that  no  injurj^  should  happen  to  them. 
My  absence  was  of  several  months;  and  when  I  returned, 
after  having  enjoyed  the  pleasures  of  home  for  a  few  days, 


198  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

I  inquired  after  my  box,  and  what  I  was  pleased  to  call  my 
treasure.  The  box  was  produced  and  opened;  but,  reader, 
feel  for  me — a  pair  of  Norway  rats  had  taken  possession 
of  the  whole,  and  reared  a  young  family  among  the  gnawed 
bits  of  paper,  which,  but  a  month  previous,  represented 
nearly  a  thousand  inhabitants  of  air!  The  burning  heat 
which  instantly  rushed  through  my  brain  was  too  great  to 
be  endured  without  affecting  my  whole  nervous  system.  I 
slept  for  several  nights,  and  the  days  passed  like  days  of 
oblivion — until  the  animal  powers  being  recalled  into  action 
through  the  strength  of  my  constitution,  I  took  up  my  gun, 
my  note-book  and  my  pencils,  and  went  forth  to  the  woods 
as  gayly  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  I  felt  pleased  that  I 
might  now  make  better  drawings  than  before;  and  ere  a 
period  not  exceeding  three  years  had  elapsed,  my  portfolio 
was  again  filled." 

Read :  Lucy  Larcom  's  ' '  The  Wounded  Curlew ; "  "  The 
Birds  of  Killingsworth ; "  "How  the  Robin  Got  Its  Red 
Breast,"  from  Cooke's  Nature  Myths  and  Stories;  "Antics 
in  the  Bird  Room,"  from  Miller's  True  Bird  Stories. 

Sing :  Songs  as  given  under  ' '  Bird  Day, ' '  April  22,  this 
book. 

Birthdays:  John  James  Audubon,  a  celebrated  Ameri- 
can writer  on  birds,  born  in  Louisiana,  May  4,  1780;  died 
in  New  York,  January  27,  1851. 

Horace  Mann,  an  American  educator,  born  at  Franklin, 
Mass.,  May  4,  1796 ;  died  at  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio,  August 
2,  1859. 

William  11.  Prescott,  a  famous  American  historian,  born 
at  Salem,  Mass.,  May  4,  1796 ;  died  in  Boston,  Mass.,  Janu- 
ary 28,  1859. 

Thomas  H.  Huxley,  an  English  writer  on  natural  his- 
tory, born  in  Middlesex,  England,  May  4,  1825;  died  at 
Eastbourne,  England,  June  29,  1895. 


MAY  199 

5    TIME 

Use  dispatch.  Remember  that  the  world  only  took 
six  days  to  create.  Ask  me  for  whatever  you  please, 
except  time;  that  is  the  only  thing  which  is  beyond  my 
power. — 'Napoleon 

Birthday:  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  emperor  of  France, 
bom  in  Ajaccio,  Corsica,  August  15,  1769;  died  on  the 
island  of  St.  Helena,  May  5,  1821. 

6    GOOD  DEEDS 

Every  gentle  word  you  say, 
One  dark  spirit  drives  awayj 
Every  gentle  deed  you  do 
One  bright  spirit  brings  to  you. 
— Virginia,  Harrison 

Tell  about  Peary's  North  Pole  expedition  and  about 
radium.  (A  grain  of  radium  about  the  size  of  a  pin-head 
is  valued  at  several  thousand  dollars.) 

Birthdays:  Robert  E.  Peary,  an  American  explorer, 
born  at  Cresson,  Pa.,  May  6,  1856. 

Pierre  Curie,  a  famous  French  chemist  and  phj'^sicist, 
born  in  Paris,  France,  May  6,  3859;  killed  by  a  street  acci- 
dent, April  19,  1906.     He  and  his  wife  discovered  radium. 

Frank  Dempster  Sherman,  an  American  poet,  born  at 
Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  May  6,  1860 ;  lives  in  New  York  City. 

7    DUTY 

Be  a  Man! 
Bear  thine  own  burden,  never  think  to  thrust 
Thy  fate  upon  another. 

— Robert  Broicning 

Read:  "An  Incident  of  the  French  Camp,"  by  Robert 
Browning,  from  Cyr's  Reader,  Book  4;  "The  Pied  Piper," 
from  Jones'  Reader,  Book  4;  biography,  from  Baldwin's 
Reader,  Book  8. 

Birthdays:     Robert    Browning    (husband    of   Elizabeth 


200  MORXING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Barrett  Browning),  a  celebrated  English  poet,  bom  at 
Camberwell,  near  London,  England,  May  7,  1812;  died 
December  12,  1889. 

Johannes  Brahms,  a  famous  German  composer  of  music, 
bom  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  May  7,  1833 ;  died  in  Vienna, 
Austria,  April  3,  1897. 


8    CHEERFULNESS 

A  cheerful  temper  joined  with  innocence,  will  make 
beauty  attractive,  knowledge  delightful,  and  wit  good- 
natured.  It  will  lighten  sickness,  poverty  and  affliction, 
convert  ignorance  to  an  amiable  simplicity,  and  render 
deformity  itself  agreeable. — Addison 

WHERE  THE  SHINE  CAME  FROM 

"Well,  Grandma,"  said  a  little  boy,  resting  his  elbows 
on  the  old  lady's  stuffed  chair-arm,  "what  have  you  been 
doing  here  at  the  window  all  day  by  yourself?" 

"All  I  could,"  answered  dear  Grandma  cheerily;  "I 
have  read  a  little,  and  praj^ed  a  good  deal  and  then  looked 
out  at  the  people.  There's  one  little  girl,  Arthur,  whom  I 
have  learned  to  watch  for.  She  has  sunny  brown  hair,  and 
her  eyes  have  the  same  sunny  look  in  them,  and  I  wonder 
every  day  what  makes  her  look  so  bright.  Ah!  here  she 
comes  now." 

Arthur  took  his  elbows  off  the  stuffed  arm,  and  planted 
them  on  the  window-sill. 

"That  girl  with  the  brown  dress  on?"  he  cried.  "Why, 
I  know  that  girl.  That's  Susie  Moore,  and  she  has  a 
dreadfully  hard  time,  Grandma." 

"Has  she?"  said  Grandma.  "Well,  Arthur,  wouldn't 
you  like  to  know  where  she  gets  all  that  brightness  from, 
then?" 

"Ill  ask  her,"  said  Arthur,  promptly;  and  he  raised 
the  window  and  called : 


MAY  201 

"Susie,  Susie,  come  up  here  a  minute;  Grandma  wants 
to  see  you ! ' ' 

The  brown  eyes  opened  wide  in  surprise,  but  the  little 
maid  turned  at  once  and  came  in. 

"Grandma  wants  to  know,  Susie  Moore,"  explained  the 
boy,  "what  makes  you  look  so  bright  all  the  time?" 

"Why,  I  have  to,"  said  Susie.  "You  see,  Father  has 
been  ill  a  long  while,  and  Mother  is  tired  out  with  nursing, 
and  the  baby  is  cross  with  her  teeth,  and  if  I  were  not 
bright,  who  would  be?" 

"Yes,  yes,  I  see,"  said  dear  old  Grandma,  putting  her 
arms  around  this  little  ray  of  sunshine.  "Shine  on,  little 
girl;  there  couldn't  be  a  better  reason  for  shining  than 
because  it  is  dark  at  home. ' ' 

Read:  "Making  the  Best  of  It,"  and  "Pippa  Passes," 
from  Bailey  and  Lewis'  For  the  Children's  Hour;  "The 
Desert"  and  "The  Walled  Garden,"  from  Richards'  The 
Golden  Windoivs. 

Sing:     "The  Merry  Children,"  from  Merry  Melodies. 

Birthday:  Augusta  Jane  (Evans)  Wilson,  an  American 
novelist,  born  in  Columbus,  Ga.,  May  8,  1835;  died  in 
Mobile,  Ala.,  May  9,  1909. 

Special  Day:  Arbor  Day  in  Montana  (second  Tuesday 
in  May).     (See  Arbor  Daij,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 


9    WORK 

Ho,  all  who  labor,  all  who  strive! 

Ye  wield  a  mighty  power; 
Do  with  your  might,  do  with  your  strength. 

Fill  every  golden  hour! 
The  glorious   privilege   to  do 

la  man's  most  noble  dower. 
Oh  to  your  birthright  and  yourselves, 

To  your  o^ti  souls  be  true! 
A  weary,  wretched  life  is  theirs 

Who  have   no  work   to   do. 

— Caroline  F.  Orne 


202  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Birthdays:  William  Bradford,  one  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers  and  second  governor  of  Plymouth  colony,  born  at 
Austerfield,  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1588 ;  died  at  Plymouth, 
Mass.,  May  9,  1657. 

John  Brown,  an  American  abolitionist,  born  in  Torring- 
ton,  Conn.,  May  9,  1800;  hanged  at  Charlestown,  Va., 
December  2,  1859. 

Adolph  Schreyer,  a  German  painter,  born  at  Frankfort- 
on-the-Main,  Germany,  May  9,  1828;  died  at  Kronberg, 
Prussia,  July  30,  1899. 

James  :\Iatthew  Barrie,  a  Scottish  novelist,  born  at  Kirrie- 
muir, Scotland,  May  9,  1860 ;  lives  at  Kirriemuir.  Author 
of  The  Little  Minister,  etc. 

10    MOTHER'S  DAY 

[Second  Sunday  in  May] 

MOTHER'S  DAY 

The  idea  of  a  national  Mother's  Day  originated  with 
Miss  Anna  Jarvis  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  second  Sunday 
in  ]^Iay  was  the  chosen  day.  A  white  carnation  was  desig- 
nated as  the  flower  to  be  worn  in  honor  of  Mother. 

On  this  day  acts  of  kindness  are  done  in  the  home,  letters 
are  written  to  mothers  by  children  away  from  home,  and 
sermons  preached  and  services  held  in  honor  of  the  mothers 
of  our  land. 

Many  schoolrooms  celebrate  Mother's  Day  with  programs 
of  recitations  and  songs  on  Friday  preceding  the  Sunday 
chosen  for  the  observance  of  the  occasion. 

SOMEBODY'S  MOTHER 

When  our  train  reached  Clinton,  the  conductor  entered 
the  car,  and,  taking  the  bundles  of  a  very  old  lady,  care- 
fully helped  her  to  the  platform,  and  then,  giving  her  his 


MAY  203 

arm,  conducted  her  to  the  waiting  room,  and  placed  her 
bimdles  beside  her.  He  then  signaled  the  engineer,  and 
boarded  the  moving  train.  Struck  by  this  unusual  civility 
to  a  poor  woman,  a  gentleman  said,  "I  beg  your  pardon, 
Mr.  Conductor.  Was  that  old  lady  your  mother?"  "No," 
said  the  conductor,  "but  she  is  somebody's  mother.'' 

— Sa7iford 

Read:  "My  Good-f or-Nothing. "  by  Emily  Huntington 
Miller;  "A  Mother's  Secret,"  by  0.  W.  Holmes;  "A 
Mother's  Love,"  by  James  Montgomery;  "O  Mother-My- 
Love,"  by  Eugene  Field;  "Mother  Love,"  by  W.  C. 
Brj^ant;  "Mother  Love,"  by  James  Whitcorab  Riley;  "My 
Mother,"  by  Jane  Taylor;  "Just  a  Little  Mother,"  by  Mar- 
garet Sangster,  "Rock  Me  to  Sleep,"  by  Elizabeth  Akers. 

Sing:     "Mother  Day,"  from  Songs  in  Season. 

Birthdays:  Count  de  Rochambeau,  a  French  soldier, 
who  was  sent  to  command  the  French  troops  in  America, 
where  he  remained  helping  Washington  until  peace  was 
declared  (1783),  when  he  returned  to  France,  was  born 
in  Vendome,  France,  July  1,  1725;  died  in  France,  May 
10,  1807. 

James  Bryce,  a  British  diplomatist  and  statesman,  born 
in  Belfast,  Ireland.  May  10,  1838 ;  living  at  Hindleap,  Sus- 
sex, England.  Distinguished  as  an  author,  his  best  known 
work  being  The  American  Commonwealth. 

11    MOTHER'S  DAY 

[Continued] 

THE  WHITE   CARNATION 

BY   MARGARET   E.    SANGSTER 

Here's  to  the  white  carnation, 

Sturdy  and  spicy  and  sweet, 
Wafting  a  breath  of  perfume 

On  the  stony  way  of  the  street; 


204  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Bringing  a  thought  of  gladness 
Wherever  the  breezes  blow; 

Here's  to  the  white  carnation, 
Pure  as  the  virgin  snow. 

This  is  the  flower  for  Mother, 

Wear  it  on  Mother 's  Day  ; 
Plower  for  rain  and  simshine, 

Winsome,  gallant  and  gay; 
Wear  it  in  mother's  honor 

Pinned  to  the  coat 's  lapel ; 
Wear  it  in  belt  and  corsage, 

For  her  who  loved  you  well. 

The  mother  in  lowly  cabin. 

The  mother  in  palace  hall. 
Is  ever  the  best  and  dearest 

The  one  we  love  best  of  all. 
In  travail  and  pain  she  bore  us. 

In  laughter  and  love  she  nursed, 
And  who  that  would  shame  a  mother 

Is  of  all  mankind  accursed. 

Tired  and  wan  too  often, 

Wear>-  and  weak  at  times, 
But  always  full  of  the  courage 

That  thrills  when  the  future  chimes; 
Mother  with  hands  toil-hardened. 

Mother  in  pearls  and  lace. 
The  light  of  heavenly  beauty 

Shines  in  your  tender  face. 

So  here's  to  the  white  carnation, 

Wear  it  on  Mother's  Day; 
Flower  that  blooms  for  mother, 

Winsome,  gallant  and  gay. 


MAY  205 

Flower  of  a  perfect  sweetness, 

Flower  for  hut  and  hall, 
Here 's  to  the  white  carnation 

And  to  Mother— Our  Best  of  All. 

Birthday:  John  Brown,  a  Scottish  physician  and  au- 
thor, born  at  Biggar,  Lanarkshire,  Scotland,  September, 
1810 ;  died  May  11,  1882.    Author  of  Rab  and  His  Friends. 

Special  Day :  Arbor  Day  in  Rhode  Island  (second  Fri- 
day in  May).    (See  Arbor  Day,  April  19  and  20,  this  book.) 

12    MERCY 

Teach  me  to  feel  another's  woe, 

To  hide  the  fault  I  sec; 
That  mercy  I  to  others  show, 

That   mercy   show  to  me. 

— Pope 

FLORENCE  NIGHTINGALE 

Florence  Nightingale  early  exhibited  an  intense  devo- 
tion to  the  alleviation  of  suffering,  which,  in  1844,  led  her 
to  give  attention  to  the  condition  of  hospitals.  She  visited 
and  inspected  civil  and  military  hospitals  all  over  Europe ; 
and  in  1851  went  into  training  as  a  nurse.  In  1854  war 
was  declared  with  Russia,  and  the  hospitals  on  the  Bos- 
phorus  soon  were  crowded  with  sick  and  wounded.  In 
this  crisis  Miss  Nightingale  offered  to  go  out  and  organize 
a  nursing-department  at  Scutari.  Lord  Herbert  accepted 
her  services,  and  she  departed  with  thirty-four  nurses.  She 
arrived  at  Constantinople,  November  4th,  on  the  eve  of 
Inkermann,  in  time  to  receive  the  wounded  into  wards 
already  filled  with  2,300  patients,  and  a  few  months  after 
her  arrival  she  had  10,000  sick  men  under  her  care.  In 
1855,  while  in  the  Crimea,  she  was  prostrated  with  fever, 
but  refused  to  leave  her  post,  and  on  her  recover^'  remained 
at  Scutari  till  Turkey  was  evacuated  by  the  British,  July 
28,  1856.     At  the  close  of  the  Crimean  War  a  fund  of 


206  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

$250,000  was  subscribed  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  her 
to  form  an  institution  for  the  training  of  nurses;  this  is 
spent  in  connection  with  St.  Thomas'  (the  Nightingale 
Home)  and  at  King's  College  Hospital. 

Read :  The  stor}'  of  the  life  of  Florence  Nightingale,  by 
Laura  E.  Richards;  Longfellow's  "Santa  Filomena,"  which 
was  written  in  her  praise  and  honor.  Tell  also  the  story  of 
Clara  Barton  (see  The  Red  Cross,  October  26,  this  book), 
who  has  been  to  the  American  soldier  what  Florence  Night- 
ingale was  to  his  British  cousin. 

Sing:  "The  Long  Weary  Day,"  from  Songs  Every  One 
Should  Knoiv;  "Nearer,  My  God,  to  Thee,"  from  American 
School  Songs. 

Birthdays :  Florence  Nightingale,  an  English  lady  noted 
for  her  care  of  the  sick  and  wounded  in  the  Crimean  War, 
born  of  English  parents,  in  Florence,  Italy,  May  12,  1820 ; 
died  in  London.  England,  August  13,  1910. 

Henry  Cabot  Lodge,  an  American  historian,  born  in 
Boston,  Mass.,  May  12,  1850. 

13    GOODNESS 

Ring  in  new  school-books  and   new  toys; 
Ring  out  all  things  that  ruin  boys; 
Ring  out  the  smoker  and  the  smoke; 
Ring  out  old  habit's  ugly  yoke. 
Ring  out  the  swearer  from  the  street; 
Ring  out  the  fighter  and  the  cheat; 
Ring  out  the  child  that  doesn't  care; 
Ring  in  good  children  every^vhere. 

14    GREATNESS 

From  a   little  spark   may  burst  a   mighty  flame. 

— Dante 

15    LITTLE  THINGS 

Little   moments    make    an    hour ; 

Little  thoughts,  a  book; 
Little  seeds,  a  tree  or  flower; 

Water-drops,  a  brook; 
Little  deeds  of  faith  and  love 
Make  a  home  for  you  above. 


MAY  207 

16    RIGHT  AND  WRONG 

Little   by   little   the   world   grows   strong, 
Fighting  the  battles  of  right  and  wrong; 
Little  by  little  the  wrong  gives  way, 
Little  by  little  the  right   has  sway; 
Little  by  little  all  longing  souls 
Struggle  up  near  the  shining  goals. 

KEEP  TO  THE  RIGHT 

"Keep  to  the  right,"  as  the  law  directs, 

For  such  is  the  rule  of  the  road : 
Keep  to  the  right,  whoever  expects 

Securely  to  carry  life's  load. 

Keep  to  the  right,  with  God  and  his  word ; 

Nor  wander,  though  folly  allure; 
Keep  to  the  right,  nor  ever  be  turned 

Trom  what's  faithful  and  holy  and  pure. 

Keep  to  the  right,  within  and  without. 
With  stranger  and  kindred  and  friend ; 

Keep  to  the  right,  and  you  need  have  no  doubt, 
That  all  will  be  well  in  the  end. 

Keep  to  the  right  in  whatever  you  do, 

Nor  claim  but  your  owti  on  the  way ; 
Keep  to  the  right,  and  hold  on  to  the  true, 

From  the  morn  to  the  close  of  life's  day. 

Read:  "The  Immortal  Fountain,"  from  Poulsson's  In 
the  Child's  World;  "The  Little  Girl  with  the  Light,"  from 
Lindsay's  Mother  Stories. 

Birthdays:  Honore  de  Balzac,  a  noted  French  writer  of 
novels,  born  at  Tours,  France,  May  16,  1799;  died  in  Paris, 
France,  August  20,  1850. 

William  Henry   Seward,  a  noted  American  statesman, 


208  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

born  in  Florida,  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  May  16,  1801 ;  died 
in  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  October  10,  1872. 

17     DEEDS 

We  live  in  deeds,  not  years;   in  thoughts,  not  breaths; 
In  feelings,  not  in  figures  on  a  dial. 
We  should  count  time  by  heart-throbs.     He  most  lives 
Who  thinks  most,  feels  the  noblest,  acts  the  best. 

—P.  J.  Bailey 

A  BENEFACTOR  OF  MANKIND 

Edward  Jenner,  a  noted  English  physician,  made  the 
discovery  that  vaccinating  people  with  cow-pox  would  save 
them  from  taking  smallpox,  a  disease  long  common  in 
Europe.  He  got  his  idea  from  hearing  that  peasants  who 
had  accidentally  caught  the  cow-pox  from  milking  cows 
diseased  with  it  were  free  from  smallpox.  He  worked  many 
years  to  find  a  sure  way  of  vaccinating  one  person  from 
another,  as  well  as  from  the  pock  of  a  cow ;  and  although  he 
proved  it  a  success,  it  took  many  years  more  to  get  the 
London  physicians  to  believe  it.  At  last,  about  the  year 
1800,  vaccination  began  to  be  widely  practiced,  and  soon 
spread  all  over  the  globe.  Wealth  and  honor  were  bestowed 
on  Dr.  Jenner,  and  he  was  called  a  benefactor  of  mankind. 

Birthday:  Edward  Jenner,  a  noted  English  physician, 
bom  in  Berkeley,  Gloucestershire,  England,  May  17,  1749; 
died  at  Berkeley,  January  26,  1823. 

18    PEACE  DAY 

Peace  has  her  victories, 
No  less  renown'd  than  war. 

— Milton 

THE  HAGUE  PEACE  CONFERENCE 

On  the  18th  of  May,  1899,  the  Czar  of  Russia  called  the 
first  peace  conference  at  The  Hague,  in  Holland,  and  one 


MAY  209 

hundred  representatives  met  in  that  city,  in  Queen  Wil- 
helmina's  little  palace  called  "The  Home  in  the  Woods." 
For  three  months  they  sat  behind  closed  doors  in  a  circular 
hall  decorated  with  large  paintings  commemorating  the 
Peace  of  Munster.  In  that  hall  is  inscribed  the  motto  * '  The 
greatest  victory  is  that  by  which  peace  is  won. "  The  results 
of  that  conference  were  as  follows:  A  permanent  inter- 
national tribunal  was  established  with  over  seventy  perma- 
nent judges,  four  of  whom  were  to  be  appointed  by  the 
United  States.  That  tribunal  opened  in  1901.  Andrew 
Carnegie  donated  $1,500,000  for  the  erection  of  a  building. 
The  first  case  before  that  tribunal  was  submitted  by  the 
United  States  and  Mexico.  By  its  provisions  for  mediation 
President  Roosevelt  made  possible  the  Portsmouth  treaty 
between  Japan  and  Russia. 

The  second  Hague  conference  met  June  15,  1907,  repre- 
sentatives of  all  the  nations  of  the  globe  were  present,  and 
it  was  in  session  four  months.  It  was  the  most  august 
assembly  in  human  history.  Some  of  the  important  matters 
that  failed  of  the  unanimous  acceptance  necessary  were 
accepted  by  a  large  majority.  Provision  was  made  for  a 
third  conference  to  assemble  within  eight  years.  A  world 
court  was  agreed  upon  to  try  cases  by  international  law. 
That  court  has  fifteen  judges,  and  in  addition  to  it  there 
is  a  tribunal  of  arbitration.  Notable  harmony  and  cour- 
tesy existed  among  all  the  delegates.  Several  nations, 
among  them  the  five  Central  American  states,  have  agreed 
to  arbitrate  every  question  arising  between  them. 

O!  make  Thou  us  through  centuries  long, 
In  peace  secure,  in  justice  strong; 
Around  our  gift  of  freedom  draw 
The  safeguard  of  Thy  righteous   law. 

— Whit  tier 

Read:  "Angel  of  Peace,"  by  0.  W.  Holmes;  "The 
People's  Song  of  Peace,"  by  Joaquin  Miller. 

Sing :     "The  Message  of  Peace, "  " The  Dawn  of  Peace, ' ' 


210  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

and  "The  Song  of  Peace,"  from  May  Intermediate  Plan 
Book,  by  Marian  M.  George. 

Special  Day :     Peace  Day,  the  18th  day  of  May. 

19    CHAEACTER 

No  fountain   is   so   small   but   that  heaven   may  be 
imaged  in  its  bosom. — Hawthorne 

Read:  Biography  of  Hawthorne,  from  Jones'  Reader, 
Book  4;  The  Great  Stone  Face;  The  Miraculous  Pitcher. 

Birthday:  Nathaniel  Hawthorne,  a  famous  American 
author,  born  in  Salem,  Mass.,  July  4,  1804;  died  in  Plym- 
outh, Mass.,  May  19,  1864. 

20    DUTY 

So   nigh   is   grandeur   to   our   duflt, 

So  near  is  God  to  man, 
When  Duty  whispers  low,  Thou  must, 

The  youth  replies,  /  can. 

— Emerson 

Birthday:  Albert  Diirer,  a  noted  German  painter  and 
engraver,  born  in  Nuremberg,  Germany,  May  20,  1471 ;  died 
in  Nuremberg,  April  6,  1528. 

21    FLOWER  DAY 

Dear  common  flower,  that  grow'st  beside  the  way, 
Fringing  the  dusty  road  with  harmless  gold, 
First  pledge  of  blithesome  May. 

— From  "To  a  Dandelion,"  by  Lowell 

Read:  "Little  Ida's  Flowers"  and  "Angel"  from  An- 
dersen's Wonder  Stories;  "Garden  Farm,"  from  Richards' 
More  Five  Minute  Stories.  Have  pupils  collect  and  recite 
quotations  about  flowers  from  various  authors. 

Sing:  "Pansies,"  "Daisies  in  the  Meadows,"  "Forget- 
Me-Not,"  "A  Sweet  Pea,"  "Stars  and  Posies,"  "Butter- 
cups and  Daisies"  and  "Daisy  Nurses"  from  Songs  in 
Season. 


MAY  2n 

22    ORDER 

Order  is  Heaven's  first  law. — Pope 

Birthdays:  Alexander  Pope,  a  famous  English  poet, 
born  In  London,  England,  May  22,  1688 ;  died  at  Twicken- 
ham, England,  May  30,  1744. 

Richard  Wagner,  a  famous  German  writer  of  music  and 
poetry,  born  in  Leipsic,  Germany,  May  22,  1813;  died  at 
Venice,  Italy,  February  13,  1883. 

Sir  Arthur  Conan  Doyle,  a  British  novelist,  bom  in 
Edinburgh,  Scotland,  May  22,  1859;  lives  at  Hindhead, 
Surrey,  England. 

23    DOING  GOOD 

He  liveth   long  who  liveth  well; 

All  else  is  life  but  flung  away; 
He  liveth   longest  who  can  tell 

Of  true  things  truly  done  each  day. 

Sow  love,  and  taste  its  fruitage  pure; 

Sow  peace,  and  reap  its  harvest  bright; 
Sow  sunbeams  on  the  rock  and  moor. 

And  find  a  harvest  home  of  light. 

H.  Bonar 

24    CLEANLINESS 

Cleanliness  may  be  defined  to  be  the  emblem  of  purity 
of  mind. — Addison 

NEIGHBOR  MINE 

There  are  barrels  in  the  hallways, 

Neighbor  mine, 
Pray  be  mindful  of  them  always. 

Neighbor  mine. 
If  you  're  not  devoid  of  feeling. 
Quickly  to  those  barrels  stealing, 
Throw  in  each  banana  peeling, 

Neighbor  mine. 


212  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Look !  where'er  you  drop  a  paper, 

Neighbor  mine, 
In  the  wind  it  cuts  a  caper, 

Neighbor  mine. 
Down  the  street  it  madly  courses, 
And  should  fill  you  with  remorses, 
When  you  see  it  scare  the  horses, 

Neighbor  mine. 

Paper  cans  were  made  for  papers, 

Neighbor  mine, 
Let's  not  have  the  fact  escape  us. 

Neighbor  mine. 
And  if  you  will  lend  a  hand. 
Soon  our  city  dear  shall  stand 
As  the  cleanest  in  the  land, 

Neighbor  mine. 

Read :    Bible,  Psalm  24 :  4. 

Birthday :  Sir  Arthur  "W.  Pinero,  an  English  dramatist, 
born  in  London,  England,  May  24,  1855 ;  lives  in  London. 

25    LIFE  IS  SHORT 

Life  is   too  short  to  waste  in   critic   peep  or  cynic  bark, 

Quarrel  or  reprimand;   'twill  soon  be  dark; 

Up!    mind    thine    own    aim,    and    God    speed    the    mark. 

— Emerson 

Read:  "Forbearance,"  "Each  and  All,"  "The  Moun- 
tain and  the  Squirrel,"  "Friendship"  and  "Days,"  by 
Emerson. 

Birthdays:  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  a  noted  American 
writer,  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  May  25,  1803 ;  died  at  Con- 
cord, Mass.,  April  27,  1882. 

Edward  G.  E.  Bulwer-Lytton,  a  famous  English  writer, 
born  in  London,  England,  May  25,  1803 ;  died  at  Torquay, 
Devonshire,  England,  January  18,  1873. 


MAY  213 

26    BEAUTY 

I  know  blue  modest  violets, 

Gleaming  with  dew  at  morn — 

I  know  the  place  you   came  from. 

And  the  way  that  you  were  born! 

When  God  cuts  holes  in  heaven, 

The  holes  the  stars  look  through. 

He   lets    the    scraps   fall    down    to    earth, 

The  little  scraps  are  you. 

— Phoebe  Cary 

27    HONOR 

From  our  ancestors  come  our  names,  but  from  our 
honesty  our  honor. 

OUR  PRESIDENTS  IN  RHYME 

BY  JEANNEE  PENDLETON  EWING 

With  Washington 's  name  did  the  President 's  start — 

"First  in  war,  first  in  peace  and  each  countryman's  heart." 

Then  Adams,  and  then  Thomas  Jefferson,  who 

Wrote  the  great  Declaration  for  me  and  for  you. 

Two  Jameses — James  Madison,  and  then  James  Monroe, 

And  John  Quincy  Adams  came  next,  you  should  know. 

Next  Jackson,  Van  Buren ;  when  Harrison  died 

Vice-President  Tyler  succeeded  with  pride, 

Polk,  Taylor,  and  Fillmore,  in  turn,  and  then  Pierce, 

With  Buchanan  and  Lincoln  as  war-times  loomed  fierce. 

Johnson,  Grant,  Hayes  and  Garfield;  when  Garfield  was 

killed. 
His  term  by  Vice-President  Arthur  was  filled. 
Cleveland,  Harrison ;  Cleveland  again  for  a  term, 
Then  William  McKinley,  a  good  man  and  firm. 
Next,  Roosevelt,  hunter  and  President  great, 
Good  soldier  in  battle,  and  good,  too,  in  State. 
And  then  Mr.  Taft,  till  the  March  day  and  hour 
When  President  Wilson  succeeds  him  in  power. 

— Popular  Educator 


214     MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Birthdays:  Nathanael  Greene,  a  noted  American  gen- 
eral, born  at  Potowhommet,  R.  I.,  May  27,  1742 ;  died  near 
Savannah,  Georgia,  June  19,  1786. 

Julia  Ward  Howe,  an  American  poet,  born  in  New  York, 
N.  Y.,  May  27,  1819;  died  in  Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  Oct.  17, 
1910. 

John  Kendriek  Bangs,  an  American  author  and  editor, 
born  at  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  May  27,  1862;  lives  at  Yonkers. 

28    MEMORY^ 

Let  Fate  do  her  worst;  there  are  relics  of  joy, 
Bright  dreams  of  the  past,  which  she  cannot  destroy. 
They    come    in   the   night-time    of    sorrow    and    care,' 
And  bring  back  the  features  that  joy  used  to  wear. 
Long,    long   be   my    heart    with    such    memories    filled, 
Like  a  vase  in  which   roses  have  once  been   distilled; 
You  may  break,  you  may  shatter  the  vase  if  you  will 
But   the   scent   of   the   roses   will   hang   round   it   still. 

— Moore 
Read:    Selections  from  Moore's  poems. 
Sing :  "The  Last  Rose  of  Summer, "  ' ' The  Minstrel  Boy ' ' 
and  "The  Harp  that  Once  thro'  Tara's  Halls,"  from  Songs 
Every  One  Should  Know. 

Birthdays :  Thomas  Moore,  a  famous  Irish  poet,  born  in 
Dublin,  Ireland,  May  28,  1779;  died  at  Bromham,  Febru- 
ary 25,  1852. 

Louis  J.  R.  Agassiz,  a  noted  teacher  of  natural  history, 
bom  in  Motiers,  Switzerland,  May  28,  1807 ;  died  in  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  December  14,  1873. 

29    PATRIOTISM 

I   know  not  what  course  others   may   take,  but   as 
for  me,  give  me  liberty  or  give  me  death! 

— Patrick  Henry 

PATRICK  HENRY 

When  Patrick  Henry  grew  to  be  a  man  he  went  into 
business,  but  failed  twice;  he  then  became  a  lawyer,  but 


MAY  215 

for  three  years  got  very  little  practice,  when  by  some  lucky 
chance  he  was  chosen  as  lawyer  in  a  case  called  the  "Par- 
sons' Cause"  because  it  was  a  quarrel  between  the  parsons 
and  the  planters.  To  the  surprise  of  everybody,  Henry 
made  a  wonderful  speech,  and  though  he  lost  his  case, 
from  that  time  he  was  famous.  He  soon  became  the  leader 
of  the  people's  party,  and  when  a  member  of  the  legisla- 
ture (1765),  he  took  a  strong  stand  against  the  Stamp  Act; 
and  in  his  speech  against  it  used  these  celebrated  words: 
"Caesar  had  his  Brutus,  Charles  I.  his  Cromwell,  and 
George  III."  (here  people  cried  out  'Treason!')  "may 
profit  by  their  example.  If  this  be  treason,  make  the  most 
of  it."  In  1774  he  was  the  fir.st  speaker  of  the  General 
Congress  which  met  in  Philadelphia.  The  next  year  he 
made  his  famous  speech  in  Virginia  in  favor  of  putting 
the  colony  in  a  state  of  defense,  in  which  he  concluded: 
"I  know  not  what  course  others  may  take,  but  as  for  me, 
give  me  liberty  or  give  me  death ! ' '  Patrick  Henry  was 
twice  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  refused  many  high  offices. 

Birthday :  Patrick  Henry,  a  famous  American  orator 
and  statesman,  born  in  Hanover  County,  Va.,  May  29,  1736 ; 
died  at  Eed  Hill,  Va.,  June  16,  1799. 

30    MEMORIAL  DAY 

For  the  dead,  a  tribute; 

For  the  living,  a  memory; 

For  posterity,  an  emblem  of  loyalty  to  the 

flag  of  their  country. 
— Inscription   on  Soldiers'   Monument,    Pitfsfield,    ilass. 

MEMORIAL  DAY 

"With  slow  and  reverent  tread 
I  bring  the  roses  red. 
To  deck  the  soldier's  bed, 
Emblem  of  blood  they  shed 
For  this  our  native  land. 


216  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

And  I,  white  daisies  bring, 
A  simple  offering ; 
Emblem  of  holy  peace, 
Oh,  may  its  reign  ne'er  cease 
In  this  our  happy  land. 

I  bring  the  violets  blue, 

They  say,  "Be  true,  be  true, 

True  to  the  friends  that  love  you, 

True  to  the  God  above  you 

And  to  thy  native  land." 

Read:  Lineohi's  "Gettysburg  Address,"  "The  Blue  and 
the  Gray,"  by  Francis  M.  Finch;  "Cover  Them  Over,"  by 
Will  Carleton. 

Sing:  "America,"  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner," 
"Columbia,  the  Gem  of  the  Ocean,"  "Battle  Hymn  of  the 
Republic,"  "We're  Tenting  To-night";  also  "Memorial 
Day"  and  "The  Blue  and  the  Gray  Together,"  from  Songs 
in  Season. 

Birthday:  Alfred  Austin,  an  English  poet  and  critic, 
bom  at  Headingly,  near  Leeds,  England,  May  30,  1835. 
He  succeeded  Tennyson  as  Poet  Laureate,  in  1896. 


31    MEMORIAL  DAY 

[Continued] 
Furl   the   banner,    softly,   slowly. 
Treat  it  gently,  it  is  holy — 
For  it  droops  above  the  dead. 

— Ryan 

Memorize  extracts  from  Daniel  Webster's  "Bunker  Hill 
Oration." 

Birthday:  Walt  Whitman,  an  American  poet,  born  at 
West  Hills,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  May  31,  1819;  died  in 
Camden,  N.  J.,  March  26,  1892. 


JUNE 


1    GREATNESS 

Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us, 
We  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 

And  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Footprints  in  the  sands  of  time. 

Footprints,  that  perhaps  another. 
Sailing  o'er   life's   solemn   main, 

A  forlorn  and  shipwreck'd  brother, 
Seeing,  shall  take  heart  again. 

—Ibid 


2    FORGIVENESS 

If  those  who've  wronged  us  own  their  faults  and  kindly  pity  pray. 
When   shall   we   listen   and   forgive?      To-day,   my   love,    to-day. 
But  if  stern  justice  urge  rebuke,  and  warmth  from  memory  borrow, 
When  shall  we  chide,  if  chide  we  must?    To-morrow,  love,  to-morrow! 


A  NOBLE  EXAIVIPLE 

Joseph  Bradford  was  for  many  years  the  traveling  com- 
panion of  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  and  considered  no  assist- 
ance to  him  too  servile,  but  was  subject  to  changes  of 
temper.  Wesley  directed  him  to  carry  a  package  of  letters 
to  the  post;  Bradford  wished  to  hear  his  sermon  first; 
Wesley  was  urgent  and  insisted;  Bradford  refused. 
"Then,"  said  Wesley,  "you  and  I  must  part."  "Very 
good,  sir,"  replied  Bradford. 

They  slept  over  it.  On  rising  the  next  morning  Wesley 
accosted  his  old  friend  and  asked  if  he  had  considered  what 
he  had  said,  that  "they  must  part."  "Yes,  sir,"  replied 
Bradford.      "And    must    we    part?"    inquired    Wesley. 


218  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

"Please  yourself,  sir,"  was  the  reply.  "Will  yon  ask  my 
pardon?"  rejoined  Wesley.  "No,  sir."  "You  won't?" 
"No,  sir."  "Then  I  will  ask  yours!"  replied  the  great 
man.  Bradford  melted  under  the  example,  and  wept  like 
a  child. 

Read:  "A  Hero  from  Valley  Forge,"  from  An  Amer- 
ican Book  of  Golden  Deeds;  Bible,  Matt.  5 :  7-9. 

Sing:    "Rock  of  Ages,"  from  Uncle  Sam's  School  Songs. 

Birthdays:  John  Randolph,  of  Roanoke,  an  American 
orator,  born  in  Chesterfield  County,  Va.,  June  2,  1773 ;  died 
in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  June  24,  1833. 

John  Godfrey  Saxe,  an  American  writer,  born  in  High- 
gate,  Vt.,  June  2,  1816 ;  died  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  March  31, 
1887. 

3    GOODNESS 

I    wish    that    friends    were    always    true, 

And   motives   always   pure; 
I  wish  the  good  were  not  so  few; 

I   wish   the   bad   were   fewer, 

— ./.  G.  Saxe 

Birthday:  Jefferson  Davis,  an  American  statesman  and 
president  of  the  Confederate  States  during  the  Civil  War, 
born  in  Christian  County.  Kentucky,  June  3,  1808;  died 
in  New  Orleans,  La.,  December  6,  1889. 


4    KINDNESS 

Little  deeds  of  kindness,  little  words  of  love, 
Make  our  earth  an  Eden  like  the  heaven  above. 

— Frances  8.  Osgood 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  AND  HIS  MOTHER 

Abb.\ham  Lincoln  was  devotedly  attached  to  his  step- 
mother. When  he  became  a  man  he  often  spoke  of  her  as 
his  "saintly  mother,"  his  "angel  of  a  mother." 


JUNE  219 

She,  herself,  late  in  life,  could  not  speak  of  him  without 
tears,  so  great  was  her  affection  for  him. 

"Abe,"  she  said,  "was  kind,  and  good,  and  true.  He 
never  gave  me  a  cross  word,  and  never  refused  to  do  any- 
thing I  asked  him.  He  was  dutiful  and  obedient  to  me 
always,  and  I  think  he  loved  me  truly." 

5    LOVE 

There  is  beauty  in  the  sunlight. 
And  the  soft  blue  heaven  above; 
Oh,  the  woiid  is  full  of  beauty, 
When  the  heart  is  full  of  love. 

—W.  S.  8mith 

6    PATRIOTISM 

I   only   regret  that   I   have  but  one   life  to  give  for 
my   country. — Nathan   Hale 

CAPTAIN  NATHAN  HALE 

After  Washington's  famous  retreat  from  Long  Island 
during  the  Revolutionary  War,  he  wished  to  learn  some- 
thing about  the  plans  of  the  English  general,  Howe.  When 
volunteers  were  called  for  to  attempt  the  hazardous  under- 
taking of  crossing  the  enemy's  lines  for  information,  brave 
Capt.  Nathan  Hale  cheerfully  offered  to  go,  and  Washing- 
ton intrusted  him  with  the  important  duty.  His  mission 
was  completed  and  just  as  he  was  returning  a  Tory  rela- 
tive discovered  the  identity  of  Capt.  Hale,  causing  his 
arrest  as  a  spy.  The  next  morning,  after  being  treated 
cruelly  by  the  British  and  refused  the  use  of  his  Bible, 
he  was  hung  as  a  spy.  Letters  that  he  had  written  to  his 
sisters  and  mother  were  destroyed  by  his  unsympathetic 
captors.  He  died  like  a  brave  man,  saying:  "I  regret 
that  I  have  but  one  life  to  give  for  my  country." 

Read :    '  *  Nathan  Hale, ' '  by  Francis  Miles  Finch. 
Birthdays:      Nathan    Hale,    an    American    soldier   and 


220  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

patriot,  born  in  Coventry,  Conn.,  June  6,  1755 ;  hanged  as 
a  spy  in  New  York  City,  September  22,  1776. 

eJohn  Trumbull,  an  American  painter,  born  in  Lebanon, 
Conn.,  June  6,  1756;  died  in  New  York  City,  November 
10,  1843. 

7    TRUE  DIGNITY 

True  dignity  abides  with  him  alone 

Who,  in  the  patient  hour  of  silent  thought, 

Can   still   respect   and   still   revere   himself. 

— Wordsworth 

ASSOCIATION 

There  are  localities  in  Switzerland  where  the  canary  is 
caged  with  the  nightingale  so  that  it  may  catch  the  sweet- 
ness and  breathe  into  its  notes  that  harmonious  melody 
that  delights  all  tourists  in  Europe.  It  is  a  demonstration 
of  association. 

So  men  may  make  their  lives  strong,  pure,  sweet  and 
holy  in  thought,  word,  and  deed  by  unbroken  association 
with  those  who  live  on  a  higher  plane. 

— Popular  Educator 

Birthday:  Richard  D.  Blackmore,  an  English  novelist, 
born  at  Longworth,  Berkshire,  England,  June  7,  1825 ; 
died  January  21,  1900.    Author  of  Lorna  Doone,  etc. 

8    DUTY 

The    boys    and    girls    who    do   their   best. 

Their   best   will   better   grow; 
But  those  who  slight  their  daily  task. 

They   let   the   better  go. 

Birthdays:  Charles  Reade,  a  famous  English  novelist, 
bom  at  Ipsden  House,  Oxfordshire,  England,  June  8,  1814 ; 
died  in  London,  April  11,  1884.  Author  of  The  Cloister 
and  the  Hearth. 

Sir  John  Everett  Millais,  an  English  painter,  born  in 


JUNE  221 

Southampton,   England,  June  8,   1829;  died  in  London, 
England,  August  31,  1896. 


9  PERSEVERANCE 

In  the  lexicon  of  youth,  which   fate  reserves   for  a 
bright   manhood,   there   is   no   such   word  as   fail. 

— Bulwer-Lytton 


•'PERSEVERE" 

George  Stephenson,  when  addressing  young  men,  was 
accustomed  to  sum  up  his  best  advice  to  them  in  the  words : 
"Do  as  I  have  done — persevere."  He  was  the  son  of  a 
poor  colliery  laborer,  and  when  fourteen  years  old  became 
an  assistant  fireman  in  the  colliery.  He  had  not  learned 
to  read  until  he  was  eighteen.  But  when  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  an  engine  he  studied  it  so  carefully  that  he  could 
take  it  to  pieces  and  put  it  together  again.  The  engines  of 
those  days  were  stationary,  and  locomotives  were  unknoAvni. 
People  had  often  said  what  a  good  thing  it  would  be  if  some- 
body only  would  invent  an  engine  to  draw  wagons ;  but  the 
wise  shook  their  heads  and  said  that  was  impossible. 
Stephenson  soon  showed  them  it  was  quite  possible  to 
make  an  engine  that  would  go,  but  he  spent  fifteen  hard 
years  working  at  the  improvement  of  his  locomotive  before 
achieving  his  decisive  victory  at  Rainhill.  This  is  only 
one  of  many  striking  illustrations  showing  how  by  patient 
trying  success  has  been  won  in  every  branch  of  science,  art, 
and  industry. 

Sing:    "Home,  Sweet  Home." 

Birthdays :  George  Stephenson,  a  noted  English  railway 
engineer,  the  inventor  of  the  locomotive,  born  at  Wylam, 
Northumberland,  England,  June  9,  1781 ;  died  at  his  estate 
of  Tapton  Park,  England,  August  12,  1848. 

John  Howard  Payne,  an  American  writer  and  actor,  born 


222  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

in  New  York,  June  9,  1792 ;  died  in  Tunis,  April  10,  1852. 
Author  of  the  song,  ' '  Home,  Sweet  Home. ' ' 

Francis  Miles  Finch,  an  American  lawyer,  and  poet,  bom 
at  Ithica,  N.  Y.,  June  9,  1827;  died  in  Ithica,  July  31, 
1907.  Author  of  poems,  "Nathan  Hale"  and  "The  Blue 
and  the  Gray. ' ' 

10    OBEDIENCE 

He    who    has    learned    to    obey,    will    know    how    to 
command. — Solon 

Birthdays:  Peter  I,  called  Peter  the  Great,  emperor  of 
Russia,  fifth  of  the  house  of  Romanoff,  born  near  Moscow, 
Russia,  June  10,  1672 ;  died  in  St.  Petersburg,  February  8, 
1725. 

Karl  Hagenbeck,  a  German  animal  trainer  and  menagerie 
owner,  born  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  June  10,  1845. 

11    NOBILITY 

Beautiful  faces  are  those  that  wear 
The  light  of  a  pleasant  spirit  there; 
It  matters  little  if  dark  or  fair. 

Beautiful  hands  are  those  that  do 
Deeds  that   are  noblo,   {rood,   and   true; 
Busy  with  them  the  long  day  through. 

Beautiful  feet  are  those  that  go 
Swiftly  to  lighten  another's  woe, 
Through  the  summer's  heat  or  winter's  snow. 


•o" 


Beautiful  children,  if.  rich  or  poor, 
They  walk  the  pathways  sweet  and  pure 
That  lead  to  the  mansion  strong  and  sure. 

Birthdays:  Joseph  Warren,  a  noted  American  patriot, 
bom  in  Roxbuiy,  Mass.,  June  11,  1741.  Killed  in  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill,  June  17,  1775. 

Mrs.  Humphrey  Ward,  an  English  novelist,  born  in 
Hobart.  Tasmania,  June  11,  1851.     (Her  maiden  name  was 


JUNE  223 

Mary  Augusta  Arnold,  she  being  a  granddaughter  of  Dr. 
Thomas  Arnold  of  Rugby,  and  a  niece  of  Matthew  Arnold.) 
Richard  Strauss,  a  German  composer,  bom  in  Munich, 
Germany,  June  11,  1864;  lives  in  Berlin,  Germany. 

12    HONESTY 

Do    what    conscience    says    is    right; 
Do  what  reason  says  is  best; 
Do  with  all   your  mind   and  might; 
Do  your  duty  and  be  blest. 

Birthday:  Charles  Kingsley,  a  famous  English  clergy- 
man and  writer,  born  in  Holne,  Devonshire,  England,  June 
12,  1819 ;  died  at  Eversley,  England,  January  23,  1875. 

13    RESPECT  FOR  THE  AGED 

Be   kind    and    be   gentle 
To  those  who  are  old, 
For  dearer  is  kindness, 
And  better,  than  gold. 

SPARTAN  RESPECT  FOR  THE  AGED 

There  was  a  great  play  at  the  principal  theater  in  Athens 
one  night.  The  seats  set  apart  for  strangers  were  filled  with 
Spartan  boys;  and  other  seats,  not  far  distant,  were  filled 
with  Athenian  youth.  The  theater  was  crowded,  when  an 
old  man,  infirm,  and  leaning  on  a  staff,  entered.  Thei*e  was 
no  seat  for  him.  The  Athenian  youth  called  to  the  old 
man  to  come  to  them,  and  with  great  difficulty  he  picked  his 
way  to  their  benches ;  but  not  a  boy  rose  and  offered  him  a 
seat.  Seeing  this,  the  Spartan  boys  beckoned  to  the  old 
man  to  come  to  them,  and,  as  he  approached  their  benches, 
every  Spartan  boy  rose,  and,  with  uncovered  head,  stood 
until  the  old  man  was  seated,  and  then  all  quietly  resumed 
their  seats.  Seeing  this,  the  Athenians  broke  out  in  loud 
applause.    The  old  man  rose,  and,  in  a  voice  that  filled  the 


224  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

theater,  said,  "The  Athenians  know  what  is  right:  the 
Spartans  do  it." — White's  School  Management 

Birthda}':  Winfield  Scott,  an  American  general,  born 
at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  13,  1786 ;  died  at  West  Point,  N. 
Y.,  May  29,  1866. 

14    FLAG  DAY 

One   flag,    one    land. 
One  heart,  one' hand, 
One  nation  evermore. 
— Holmes 

THE  SCHOOL-HOUSE  STANDS  BY  THE  FLAG 

BY  HEZEKIAH  BUTTERWORTH 

Ye  who  love  the  Republic,  remember  the  claim 
Ye  owe  to  her  fortunes,  ye  owe  to  her  name, 
To  her  years  of  prosperity  past  and  in  store, 
A  hundred  behind  you,  a  thousand  before. 

'Tis  the  school-house  that  stands  by  the  flag, 

Let  the  nation  stand  by  the  school; 
'Tis  the  school-bell  that  rings  for  our  Liberty  old, 
'Tis  the  school-boy  whose  ballot  shall  rule. 

The  blue  arch  above  us  is  Liberty's  dome, 
The  green  fields  beneath  us.  Equality's  home. 
But  the  schoolroom  to-day  is  Hiunanity  's  friend, — 
Let  the  people  the  flag  and  the  school-house  defend. 
'Tis  the  school-house  that  stands  by  the  flag, 

Let  the  nation  stand  by  the  school ; 
'Tis  the  school-bell  that  rings  for  our  Liberty  old, 
'Tis  the  school-boy  whose  ballot  shall  rule. 

Read:     "The  Flag  Goes  By,"  by  Henry  H.  Bennett; 

"An  American  in  Europe,"  by  Henry  van  Dyke;  Whit- 

.  tier 's  ' '  Barbara  Frietchie  " ;  "  The  Heroine  of  Fort  Henrj^, ' ' 


JUNE  225 

from  Baldwin's  American  Book  of  Golden  Deeds;  "The 
Stars  and  Stripes,"  from  Our  Holidays:  Retold  from  St. 
Nicholas;  "Betsy  Ross;  Our  Flag,"  from  Wilson's  History/ 
Reader. 

?ing :  "  The  First  Flag, "  "  The  Salute, "  and  "  The  Red, 
White,  and  Blue,"  from  Songs  in  Season;  "Flag  of  the 
Free,"  "Columbia,  the  Gem  of  the  Ocean."  and  "Flag  of 
the  Stars  I  Love,"  from  American  School  Songs;  "Hurrah 
for  the  Flag!"  from  Howliston's  Child's  Song  Booh. 

15    FLAG  DAY 

[Continued] 

Red,  White  and  Blue,  wave  on! 
Never  may  sire  or  son 

Thy  glory  mar. 
Sacred   to  liberty, 
Honored  on  land  and  sea, 
Unsoiled  forever  be, 

Each   stripe  and  star. 

WHAT  IS  A  FLAG  WORTH? 

"Here's  a ,  but  I  won't  offer  that  old  rag  for  sale. 

Too  ragged;  clerk,  take  it  away !" 

"I'll  give  five  cents  for  it,"  shouted  a  ragman  that 
chanced  to  be  present.  "And  I'll  give  ten  dollars  for  it," 
thundered  a  man  near  the  door,  stepping  forward,  the 
money  in  his  hand. 

The  auctioneer  looked  dumbfounded.  "It's  an  Amer- 
ican flag,"  said  the  man,  holding  it  up  before  the  people. 
"Is  there  a  man  here  that  says  the  American  Flag  is  not 
worth  ten  dollars  ? ' ' 

Learn :    "A  Salute  to  the  Flag,"  by  Charles  Sumner: 
"White  for  purity,  red  for  valor,  blue  for  justice,  the 

flag  of  our  country,  to  be  cherished  by  all  our  hearts,  to 

be  upheld  by  all  our  hands.  *  * 

Birthday:     Harriet  Elizabeth  Beecher  Stowe,  a  noted 


226  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

American  writer,  born  at  Litchfield,  Conn.,  June  15,  1812; 
died  at  Hartford,  Conn,  July  1,  1896. 


16    FLAG  SALUTE 

[Adopted  by  the  National  Societies  G.  A.  R.  and  W.  C.  R.] 

We  give  our  heads  and  our  hearts  to  God  and  our 
country.     One  country,  one  language,  one  flag. 

First  Signal:  The  pupils  having  been  assembled  and 
being  seated,  and  the  flag  borne  by  the  standard  bearer 
being  in  front  of  the  school,  at  the  signal  (either  by  a  chord 
struck  on  the  piano  or,  in  the  absence  of  a  piano,  from  a 
bell)  each  scholar  seizes  the  seat  preparatory  to  rising. 

Second  Signal:  The  whole  school  rises  quickly,  as  one 
person,  erect  and  alert. 

Third  Signal:  The  right  arm  is  extended,  pointing 
directly  at  the  flag;  as  the  flag  bearer  should  be  on  the 
platform  where  all  can  see  the  colors,  the  extended  arm  will 
be  slightly  raised  above  a  horizontal  line. 

Fourth  Signal:  The  forearm  is  bent  so  as  to  touch  the 
forehead  lightly  with  the  tip  of  the  fingers  of  the  right 
hand.  The  motion  should  be  quick,  but  graceful,  the  elbow 
being  kept  down  and  not  allowed  to  "stick  out"  to  the 
right.  As  the  fingers  touch  the  forehead,  each  pupil  ^vill 
exclaim  in  a  clear  voice,  "We  give  our  heads"  (emphasiz- 
ing the  word  "heads"). 

Fifth  Signal:  The  right  hand  is  carried  quickly  to  the 
left  side  and  placed  flat  over  the  heart,  with  the  words,  "and 
our  hearts!"  (after  the  movement  has  been  made). 

Sixth  Signal:  The  right  hand  is  allowed  to  fall  quickly, 
but  easily,  to  the  right  side;  as  soon  as  the  motion  is  ac- 
complished, all  will  say.  "to  God  and  our  country!" 

Seventh  Signal:  Each  scholar  still  standing  erect,  but 
without  moving,  will  exclaim,  "One  country!"  (emphasis 
on  "country"). 


JUNE  227 

Eighth  Signal:  The  scholars,  still  standing  motionless, 
will  exclaim,  "One  language!"  (emphasis  on  "language"). 

Ninth  Signal:  The  right  arm  is  suddenly  extended  to 
its  full  length,  the  hand  pointing  to  the  flag,  the  body  in- 
clining slightly  forward,  supported  by  the  right  foot  slightly 
advanced.  The  attitude  should  be  one  of  intense  earnest- 
ness. The  pupil  reaches,  as  it  were,  toward  the  flag,  at  the 
same  time  exclaiming  with  great  force,  "One  flag!" 

Tenth  Signal:  The  right  arm  is  dropped  to  the  side  and 
the  position  of  attention  recovered. 

Eleventh  Signal:  Each  scholar  seizes  the  seat  prepara- 
tory to  turning  it  down. 

Twelfth  Signal:    The  school  is  seated. 

Flag  Bearer:  The  color  bearer  grasps  the  staft"  at  the 
low^er  end  with  his  right  hand  and  a  foot  or  more  (accord- 
ing to  the  length  of  the  staff)  above  the  end  of  the  staff 
with  his  left  hand.  The  staff  is  held  directly  in  front  of 
the  middle  of  the  body,  slightly  inclined  forward  from  the 
perpendicular.  At  the  fourth  signal,  the  flag  will  be  dipped, 
returning  the  salute ;  this  is  done  by  lowering  the  left  hand 
until  the  staff  is  nearly  horizontal,  keeping  it  in  that  posi- 
tion until  the  tenth  signal,  when  it  will  be  restored  to  its 
first,  or  nearly  vertical,  position. 

Birthday:  "Wesley  Merritt,  an  American  soldier,  born 
in  New  York  City.  June  16,  1836 ;  died  at  Natural  Bridge, 
Ya.,  December  3,'  1910. 


17    HELPFULNESS 

A  sense  of  an  earnest  will 

To  help  the  lowly  living, 
And  a  terrible  heart  thrill, 

If  you  have  no  power  of  giving; 
An  aim  to  aid  the  weak, 

A  friendly   hand  to  the  friendless, 
Kind  words  so  short  to  speak, 

But  whose  echo  is  endless; 


228  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

The   world    is   wide,    these   things    are    small, 
They  may  be  nothing,  but  they  are  all. 

— Milnes 

Birthdays :  John  Wesley,  a  famous  English  clergyman, 
founder  of  the  :\lethodists,  born  at  Epworth,  Lincolnshire, 
England,  June  17,  1703 ;  died  in  London,  March  2,  1791. 

Charles  Francois  Gounod,  a  noted  French  -vvriter  of 
music,  born  in  Paris,  France,  June  17,  1818 ;  died  in  Paris, 
October  18,  1893.    Wrote  the  opera  Faust. 

Special  Day :  Anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill 
(June  17,  1775). 

18    BOOKS 

Thought  ia  the  seed  of  action. — Emerson 

THE  PARADOX  OF  BOOKS 

BY    HANNAH   MORE 

I'm  strange  contraditions ;  I'm  new  and  I'm  old, 

I  'm  often  in  tatters,  and  often  decked  with  gold. 

Though  I  never  could  read,  yet  lettered  I  'm  found ; 

Though  blind,  I  enlighten ;  though  loose,  I  am  bound. 

I  'm  always  in  black,  and  I  'm  always  in  white ; 

I  am  grave  and  I'm  gay,  I  am  heavy  and  light. 

In  form  too  I  differ,— I  'm  thick  and  I  'm  thin ; 

I've  no  flesh  and  no  bone,  yet  I'm  covered  with  skin  ; 

I've  more  points  than  the  compass,  more  stops  than  the  flute ; 

I  sing  without  voices,  without  speaking  confute ; 

I'm  English,  I'm  German,  I'm  French,  and  I'm  Dutch; 

Some  love  me  too  fondly,  some  slight  me  too  much ; 

I  often  die  soon,  though  I  sometimes  live  ages, 

And  no  monarch  alive  has  so  many  pages. 

Birthday:  David  D.  Porter,  an  American  naval  com- 
mander, born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  June  18,  1813;  died 
February  13,  1891. 


JUNE  229 

19    EXTRAVAGANCE 

Beware   of    little   extravagances;    a   small   leak   will 
sink  a  big  ship. — Benjamin  Franklin 

FARRAGUT'S  RESOLUTION 

When  Admiral  Farragut's  son  was  ten  years  old  the 
father  said  in  his  hearing  that  when  he  was  old  enough  to 
make  a  contract  and  keep  it,  he  had  a  bargain  to  offer  him. 
The  son  rose  up  and  asked  the  father  what  the  contract 
was.  The  Admiral  said,  "The  proposal  I  intend  to  make 
is  this:  If  you  will  not  smoke  or  chew  tobacco,  drink  in- 
toxicating or  strong  wines,  till  you  are  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  I  will  then  give  you  one  thousand  dollars."  "I  am 
old  enough  to  make  that  bargain  now,"  said  young  Far- 
ragut.  "I  will  accept  the  offer."  The  bargain  was  closed, 
and  when  young  Farragut  was  twenty-one  the  cash  was 
handed  over  to  him.  A  smoking  boy  can  save  a  thousand 
dollars  in  a  few  years  in  the  same  way,  besides  saving 
physical  energy  and  moral  power. — Popular  Educator 

Birthday:  Richard  M.  Milnes  [Baron  Houghton],  an 
English  statesman  and  poet,  born  in  London,  England, 
June  19,  1809 ;  died  at  Vichy,  France,  Aug.  11   1885. 

20    PUNCTUALITY 

Time  is  always  on  the  wing, 

You  can  never  stop  its  flight, 
Then  do  at  once  your  little  task, 

Happier  you  will  be  at  night. 

PUNCTUALITY 

When  Washington's  secretary  excused  himself  for  the 
lateness  of  his  attendance  and  laid  the  blame  upon  his 
watch,  his  master  quietly  said,  "Then  you  must  get  another 
watch,  or  I  another  secretary."  It  will  generally  be  found 
that  the  men  who   are  thus  habitually  behind  time  are 


230  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

habitually  behind  success;  and  the  world  easts  them  aside 
to  swell  the  ranks  of  the  grumblers  and  the  railers  against 
fortune. 

21    GENTLENESS 

Every  gentle  word  you  say 
One  dark  spirit  drives  away; 

•  ••••• 

Every  gentle  deed  you  do 
One  bright  spirit  brings  to  you. 
— Virginia  B.  Harrison 


22    ADVERSITY 

By   adversity   are   wrought 
Tlie  greatest  works  of  admiration. 
And  all  the  fair  examples  of  renown 
Out    of    distress    and    misciy    are    grown. 


23    MANNERS 

To  be  polite  is  to  do  and  say 

The  kindest  thing  in  the  kindest  way. 


A  GENTLEMAN 

I  KNEW  him  for  a  gentleman 

By  signs  that  never  fail : 
His  coat  was  rough  and  rather  worn, 

His  cheeks  were  thin  and  pale, — 
A  lad  who  had  his  waj'  to  make. 

With  little  time  to  play. 
I  knew  him  for  a  gentleman 

By  certain  signs  to-day. 

He  met  his  mother  on  the  street; 

Off  came  his  little  cap. 
My  door  was  shut ;  he  waited  there 

Until  I  heard  his  rap. 


I 


JUNE  231 

He  took  the  bundle  from  my  hand ; 

And  when  I  dropped  my  pen, 
He  sprang  to  pick  it  up  for  me, 

This  gentleman  of  ten. 

He  does  not  push  or  crowd  along; 

His  voice  is  gently  pitched ; 
He  does  not  fling  his  books  about 

As  if  he  were  bewitched. 
He  stands  aside  to  let  you  pass ; 

He  always  shuts  the  door; 
He  runs  on  errands  willingly, 

To  forge  and  mill  and  store. 

He  thinks  of  you  before  himself ; 

He  serves  you  if  he  can, 
For  in  whatever  company, 

The  manners  make  the  man ; 
At  ten  and  forty  'tis  the  same, — 

The  manner  tells  the  tale. 
And  I  discern  the  gentleman 

By  signs  that  never  fail, 

24    IDLENESS 

If  you  are  idle,  you  are  on  the  road  to  ruin,  and 
there  are  few  stopping  places  upon  it. — H.  W.  Beecher 

Birthday:  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  a  noted  American 
preacher,  lecturer  and  writer,  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn., 
June  24,  1813;  died  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  March  8,  1887. 
(Son  of  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  and  a  brother  of  Harriet 
Beecher  Stowe.) 

25    DUTY 

Do  whate'er  you  have  to  do 

With  a  true  and  earnest  zeal; 
Bend  your  sinews  to  the  task; 

"Put  your  shoulders  to  the  wheel." 


232     MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

THE  DESERTED  CHICKS 

BY  WILLIAM   NORRIS  BURR 

There  were  six  coops  out  in  the  chicken  yard,  each  with 
a  clucking  mother  hen  inside,  caring  for  her  brood  of  chicks 
in  mother-hen  fashion. 

Frank's  father  had  given  him  the  little  Brown  Leghorn 
family  to  care  for.  He  was  to  give  them  their  cornmeal  at 
certain  times  every  day  and  keep  water  in  the  pan,  and 
once  in  a  while  let  them  out  for  a  stroll  over  the  little 
grass  plot,  where  they  could  pick  the  green  food  that  all 
chickens  enjoy  for  a  "relish." 

One  morning  Frank's  father  came  in  with  a  very  sober 
look  on  his  face. 

"Frank,"  said  he,  "how  would  you  like  to  have  father 
and  mother  go  off  to  Los  Angeles  or  somewhere  to  live 
and  leave  you  here  to  take  care  of  yourself?" 

"Who'd  get  dinner,  and — and — who'd  drive  the  big 
grays?"  asked  Frank. 

"Oh,  I  don't  know,"  replied  his  father.  "You  would 
have  to  get  your  own  dinner,  I  suppose,  and  just  take  care 
of  yourself  somehow. ' ' 

"You — ^you're  not  going  to  do  it,  are  you?"  A  lump 
had  come  into  Frank's  throat  and  it  was  not  easy  for  him 
to  talk. 

"Don't  you  think  it  might  help  you  to  remember  to  do 
all  your  little  chores?"  asked  Frank's  father.  "Who  for- 
got last  night  to  see  that  the  brown  hen  and  her  chicks 
were  snug?" 

Frank  hung  his  head  and  looked  hard  at  the  floor. 

"I  was  playing  with  Eddie  Ferris  and — I  guess  I  for- 
got, ' '  he  said ;  and  the  lump  almost  choked  him. 

"And  because  Frank  'forgot,'  the  brown  mother  hen 
took  the  opportunity  to  go  somewhere  else  to  spend  the 
night  and  left  her  chicks  to  take  care  of  themselves;  and 
the  chicks  are  such  tender  little  things  that — well,  they 


JUNE  233 

must  have  caught  cold  and  some  of  them  must  have  died." 

"Did  any  of  them  die?"  asked  Frank. 

"No,"  said  his  father,  and  there  was  a  faint  little  twinkle 
in  his  eyes.  "I  happened  to  go  through  the  chicken  yard 
last  night  after  dark  and  I  discovered  that  the  brown  hen 
had  deserted  her  brood,  and  what  do  you  think  I  did  for 
them?" 

"I  guess  you  hunted  up  their  mother  and  told  her  she 
ought  to  stay  at  home  with  her  children,"  answered  Frank. 

"No,  it  was  too  late  then  to  be  hunting  up  a  runaway 
hen,"  smiled  Frank's  father,  "so  I  got  an  old  feather 
duster  that  is  in  pretty  good  condition  yet,  but  has  been 
used  in  the  buggy  shed  and  is  not  very  clean,  and  I  un- 
screwed the  handle  and  gave  those  poor  little  deserted 
chicks  that  duster  as  a  substitute  for  their  mother.  And 
they  got  through  the  night  very  comfortably,  cuddled  under 
the  feathers  of  that  duster.  But  they  might  have  had 
their  mother,  who  is  their  natural  protector,  if  Frank  had 
not  forgotten  to  see  if  they  were  all  right,  at  least  by  sun- 
down. ' ' 

"I  don't  want  you  and  mother  to  go  off  to  Los  Angeles 
and  leave  me  here,"  whispered  Frank,  and  the  lump  came 
into  his  throat  again.  ' '  There  wouldn  't  be  any  one  around 
to  'feather-duster'  me." 

"All  right,  my  boy,"  said  his  father,  heartily.  "You'll 
not  forget  your  chicks  again,  will  you?" 

"I'll  try  hard  not  to,"  promised  Frank. 

— Sunday  School  Times 

26    NATURE 

Open  the  door,  let  in  the  air; 

Tlie  winds  are  sweet  and  the  flowers  are  fair. 

GREEN  THINGS  GROWING 

BY  DINAH  MULOCK  CRAIK 

0  THE  green  things  growing,  the  green  things  growing, 
The  faint  sweet  smell  of  the  green  things  growing ! 


234  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

I  should  like  to  live,  whether  I  smile  or  grieve, 

Just  to  watch  the  happy  life  of  my  green  things  growing. 

0  the  fluttering  and  the  pattering  of  those  green  things 

growing ! 
How  they  talk  each  to  each,  when  none  of  us  are  knowing ; 
In  the  wonderful  light  of  the  weird  moonlight 
Or  the  dim,  dreamy  dawn  when  the  cocks  are  crowing. 

1  love,  I  love  them  so — my  green  things  growing ! 
And  I  think  that  they  love  me,  without  false  showing ; 
For  by  many  a  tender  touch,  they  comfort  me  so  much, 
With  the  soft  mute  comfort  of  green  things  growing. 

27    FORBEARANCE 

Lift  up  your  burden;  it  is  God's  gift,  therefore  bear 
it  nobly. — Helen  Keller 

A  JUNE  MORNING  LESSON 

BY  JULIA  M,  DANA 

Twice  one  are  two 
Prairie  roses,  brushing  through 
I\Iy  window,  all  cool  with  dew. 
Twice  one  are  two. 

Twice  two  are  four 

Bees  a  humming  round  the  door — 

Calling  others  by  the  score. 

Twice  two  are  four. 

Twice  three  are  six 
Pansy  beds  their  colors  mix; 
See  the  mother  hen  and  chicks — 
Twice  three  are  six. 


JUNE  235 

Twice  four  are  eight ; 
Gorgeous  butterflies  elate, 
Dancing,  poising,  delicate, 
Twice  four  are  eight. 

Twice  five  are  ten 
Sweetest  strains  from  yonder  glen, 
Echoed  o  'er  and  o  'er  again, 
Twice  five  are  ten. 

Twice  six  are  twelve 
Merry  maidens  of  the  year — 
Some  in  snowy  gowns  appear. 
Some  in  gold  and  silver  sheer, 
Yet  the  fairest  is,  I  ween, 
Dainty  June  in  pink  and  green. 

Read:    Helen  Keller's  Story  of  My  Life. 

Sing:  "Summer  Time,"  from  Merry  Melodies;  "The 
Summer  Time,"  from  Kellogg 's  Best  Primary  Songs. 

Birthday :  Helen  A.  Keller,  an  American  author,  born 
at  Tuscumbia,  Ala.,  June  27,  1880;  lives  in  Wrentham, 
Mass.  Though  deaf,  dumb  and  blind  from  illness  in  in- 
fancy, she  was  enabled  to  study  through  the  efforts  of  her 
teacher.  Miss  Anne  M.  Sullivan,  and  was  graduated  at 
Radcliffe  College,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  in  1904. 

28    HAPPINESS 

Learn  something  beautiful,  see  something  beautiful, 
do  something  beautiful  each  day  of  your  life. 
— Alice  Freeman  Palmer's  "Three  Rules  of  Happiness" 

Sing:    "June,"  from  Hanson's  Gems  of  Song. 

Birthday:  Jean  Jacques  Rousseau,  a  French  author, 
born  in  Geneva,  Switzerland,  June  28,  1712 ;  died  in  Paris, 
France,  July  2,  1778. 


236  MORNING  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

29    GRADUATION 

And  what  is  so  rare  as  a  day  in  Jtine? 

Then,  if  ever,  come  perfect  days; 
Then  Heaven  tries  earth  if  it  be  in  tune, 

And  over  it  softly  her  warm  ear  lays. 

— Lowell 

GRADUATION'S  PROMISE 

BY    SALENA    SHEETS    MARTIN 

'And  once  again  life  opens  wide  the  door 
Through  which  shall  pass  ambition,  youth  and  hope, 
Into  that  harsher  world,  but  little  tried. 
Where  eager  faith  its  tasks  would  meet  and  cope. 
The  tasks  that  stagger  oft  when  youth  seems  far 
From  that  fond  hope  that  fastened  to  the  star. 

How  fine  a  thing  it  is — this  hope  of  youth. 
Which  bears  the  faithful  heart  that  gives  it  room 
Above  all  trivial  things  of  time  and  place 
On  pinions  to  a  sure  success — not  doom; 
That  sees  no  failures  in  the  coming  years 
Whose  eager  feet  press  on — they  know  no  fears. 

The  June  time  brings  these  fruitful  days  of  life, 

Repeating  for  each  one  the  promise  o'er, 

Of  rich  fulfillment— harvests  in  the  years. 

The  fields  of  time,  in  which  our  visions  soar ; 

With  roses  to  bloom  and  thorns  but  few,  | 

May  every  worthy  dream  of  youth  come  true. 

And  may  no  idle  dreams  usurp  the  mind, 

No  selfish  visions  stretch  adown  the  years. 

No  loitering  by  waysides,  seeming  joy 

To  end  in  grief  and  penitential  tears;  ^ 

But  on  life's  journey  all  along  the  way  J 

Look  Heavenward  and  for  its  guidance  pray.  H 


JUNE  237 

Sing:    "Glad  Vacation,"  from  Hanson's  Silvery  Notes. 

Birthdays:  Peter  Paul  Rubens,  a  famous  Flemish 
painter,  born  at  Siegen,  Germany,  June  29,  1577;  died  at 
Antwerp,  Belgium,  May  30,  1640. 

John  Quincy  Adams  Ward,  an  American  sculptor,  born 
in  Urbana,  Ohio,  June  29,  1830;  died  in  New  York  City, 
May  1,  1910. 

Celia  Thaxter,  an  American  writer,  born  in  Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.,  June  29,  1836 ;  died  August  27.  1894. 

John  Bach  MacMaster,  an  American  historian,  born  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  June  29,  1852. 

30    VACATION 

"Vacation  is  the  time  for  fun!" 
All  girls  and  boys  are  saying 
When  schools  and  books  grow  wearisome, 
And  hearts  are  ripe  for  playing. 

— Mary  D.  Brine 

VACATION-TIME 

All  the  world  is  set  to  rhyme 
Now  it  is  vacation-time. 
And  a  swelling  flood  of  joy 
Brims  the  heart  of  every  boy. 
No  more  rote  and  no  more  rule. 
No  more  staying  after  school 
When  the  dreamy  brain  forgets 
Tiresome  tasks  the  master  sets ; 
Nothing  but  to  play  and  play 
Through  an  endless  holiday. 

Mom  or  afternoon,  may  all 
Swing  the  bat  and  catch  the  ball ; 
Nimble-footed,  race  and  run 
Through  the  meadows  in  the  sun, 
Chasing  winged  scraps  of  light. 


238  MORNIXG  EXERCISES  FOR  ALL  THE  YEAR 

Butterflies  in  darting  flight; 
Or  where  willows  lean  and  look 
Down  at  others  in  the  brook. 
Frolic  loud  the  stream  within, 
Every  arm  a  splashing  fin. 

Where  the  thorny  thickets  bar, 
There  the  sweetest  berries  are ; 
"Where  the  shady  banks  make  dim 
Pebbly  pools,  shy  trout  swim ; 
Where  the  boughs  are  mossiest, 
Builds  the  humming-bird  a  nest ; — 
There  are  haunts  the  rover  seeks, 
Touch  of  tan  upon  his  cheeks, 
And  within  his  heart  the  joy 
Known  to  no  one  but  a  boy. 

All  the  world  is  set  to  rhyme 

Now  it  is  vacation-time.  J 

— From  ''Book  of  Rhyme"  1 

Sing:     "Vacation's    Coming"   and   "Vacation    Song," 
from  School  Song  Knapsack. 


INDEX 


A  Cheerful  temper,  165 

A  glad   New   Year,   104 

A  great    nation    is    made,    17 

A  gush   of  bird  song,    180 

A  man   of   words,    143 

A  sense  of  an  earnest  will,   227 

A  soft   answer,    176 

A  thing  Is  worth,   131 

A  traveler  through  a  dusty    road,  123 

A  very  little  seed,   161 

Abbey,    Edwin  Austin,    174 

Abbott,    Lyman,    93 

Abide   with    Me,    98 

Abraham   Lincoln,    139 

Abraham  Lincoln    and    His    Mother, 

218 
Abt,    Franz,    95 
Accomplishment,   99 
Achievement,   158,    200 
Adams,  John,    56 
Adams,   John  Quincy,   153 
Adams,   Samuel,    27 
Adams,  Sarah  Fowler,   147 
Adams,  William  Taylor,    168 
Addison,  Joseph,  165,  196,  202,  211 
Ade,   George,    132 

Advice  of  Robby  Burns'  Father,  120 
Aeroplane,   The,   184 
Aesop,   39.    85 
Agassiz,   Louis  J.   R.,   214 
Aim,   166 
Aim  well!   166 
Alcott,  Louisa  May,   79 
Aldrich,  Thomas  Bailey,    67 
Alger,   Horatio,    112,    113 
Alice's    Adventures    in    Wonderland, 

113 
All  Fools'    Day,    173,    174 
All  habits  gather,   16 
All-Hallow-Even,   57 
All  the  world,   237 
Allingham,    William,    57 
Allison,   Joy,    88 

Always   vote   for   a  principle,    153 
Ambition,    64,    178 
America,    31,    47,    74,    111,    139,    153, 

216 
America's  Debt  to   Lafayette,    14 
American  in  Europe,  An,  Van  Dyke, 

224 
Amiability,   89 
Amy  Stewart,    169 
Ancient   Mariner,   Coleridge,   142 
And  once  again,    236 
And  we,   to-day,   78 
And  what  is  so  rare,    236 


Andersen,  Hans  Christian,  174,    175 

Andre,   Major  John,    32 

Androclus  and  the  Lion,   25 

Angel,   Andersen,    210 

Angel  of  Peace,   Holmes,  209 

Angelo,   Michael,   156 

Anger,   165 

Ant  and  the  Cricket,  The,  56 

Antics  in  the  Bird  Room,   198 

Anxious  Leaf,   The,    15 

April!  April!  Are  You  Here,  174 

April   Morning,   An,    ISO 

Arbor  Day,   186,   193 

Arbor  Day  in  Alabama,    147 

Arbor  Day  in  Arizona,    128 

Arbor  Day  in  Arkansas,    91 

Arbor  Day  in  California  157 

Arbor  Day  in  Connecticut,     193 

Arbor  Day  in  Florida,   106 

Arbor  Day  in  Georgia, 81 

Arbor  Day  in  Illinois,   186 

Arbor  Day  in  Indiana,  55 

Arbor  Day  in  Kentucky,   176 

Arbor  Day  in  Louisiana,   132 

Arbor  Day  in  Maine,    197 

Arbor  Day  in  Maryland,   176 

Arbor  Day  in  Massachusetts,   193 

Arbor  Day  in  Michigan,   193 

Arbor  Day  in  Minnesota,    193 

Arbor  Day  in  Mississippi,    88 

Arbor  Day  in  Mibsouri,   176 

Arbor  Day  in  Montana,   201 

Arbor  Day  in  Nebraska,   189 

Arbor  Day  in  New  Jersey,  189 

Arbor  Day  in  New  Mexico,   161 

Arbor  Day  in  New  York,   197 

Arbor  Day  in  North  Dakota,   197 

Arbor  Day  in  Ohio,   183 

Arbor  Day  in  Oklahoma,   158 

Arbor  Day  in  Rhode  Island,   205 

Arbor  Day  in  South  Carolina,  75 

Arbor  Day  in  Texas,   147 

Arbor  Day  in  Utah,   183 

Arbor  Day  in  Vermont,   193 

Arbor  Day  in  West  Virginia,   75 

Ariosto,   Ludovico,    15 

Armond,  Lizzie  D.,   167 

Arnold,  Benedict,   104,   105 

Arnold,  Matthew,   96 

Arthur,  Chester  A.,    34 

Association,    220 

Audubon,   John  James.   197,   198 

Auld  Lang  Syne  33,  120 

Austin,  Alfred,   216 

Away  with  Meloncholy,   49 

Ax   Grinding.    Franklin,    179 


240 


INDEX 


Bacon,   Francis,    118,    119,    157 

Bad  Company,   128 

Bailey,    P.   J..    208 

Balzac,    Honore  de,    207 

Bancroft,   George,  32,   33 

Bangs,    John    Kendrick,    214 

Barbara  Frietclile,  Whittier,  107,  224 

Barefoot  Boy,   The,  Whittier,   107 

Barrie,  James  Matthew,   202 

Bartholdi,   Frederic  A.,   175 

Barton,    Clara,    52,    97,    206 

Barye,   Antoine   Louis,   25 

Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic,  216 

Battle   of  Bunker  Hill,    228 

Battle   of   New   Orleans.    108 

Battle  Prayer,   The,   190 

Be  a  Man!   199 

Be  Careful   What  You  Sow,    17 

Be  just  and  fear  not,   71 

Be  kind  and   gentle,    122 

Be  noble!  and  the  nobleness,   113 

Be  still,   sad  heart!   90 

Beauregard,   Pierre  G.  T.,   166 

Beautiful  faces  are  those,   49 

Beautiful   Things,    49 

Beauty,   212 

Beaver  Story,  The,   56 

Beck,   M.  W.,  14 

Beecher,   Henry  Ward.  Ill,   113,   231 

Beecher,   Dr.   Lyman,    178 

Beethoven,    Ludwig   Von,    91,    92 

Bell,    Alexander   Graham,    152,    153 

Bell  of  Atrl,   The,   71 

Benefactor  of   Mankind,   A.   208 

Benjamin    Franklin,    HIgglnson,    114 

Bennett,   Henry  H.,   63 

Bernard   of  Tullerles.   Marden.   129 

Bernhardt,    Sarah,    49 

Bessemer.   Sir   Henry.    117 

Bessie's  Garden,   Whittier,    44 

Best  Christmas  Book,  The.  Slndelar, 
95 

Betsy  Ross,   225 

Better  than  grandeur.   161 

Better  to  strive  and  climb.   178 

Beware   of   little   extravagances,    229 

Blgelow.   John,   77 

Billings,   Josh,   31,   79 

Bird    Day,    186,    187,    18R 

Bird  with  a  Broken  Wing,  The,   25 

Birds  of  a  feather.   128 

Birds  of   Kllllngsworth,   The.    198 

Blsmark-SchOnhausen,     Prince     Otto 
E.    L.,    174 

BjOrnson,    BjOrnstjerne,   87 

Blackmore,   Richard.    220 

Blackstone,    Sir   William.    140 

Blaine,  James  G.,    126 

Blaehflold,   Edwin   H„   97 

Blucher   at  Waterloo,    115 

Blue  and  the  Gray.  The,  Finch,  216, 

222 
Blue    and    the    Gray    Toeether,    The, 

216 
Bluebird,   The,   188 
Boat  Song,   148 


Bob  WTiIt©,   188 

Bonaparte,   Napoleon,   44,  199 

Bonar,    Horatlus,    51,    211 

Bonheur,   Rosa,   165 

Book,  The,  Forman,  126 

Books,    154,    228 

Books  are  men,   154 

Books  are  yours,    178 

Boone,   Daniel,   134 

Booth,   Edwin  Thomas,   68 

Booth,   John   Wilkes,    69 

Boughton,   George  H.,   117 

Boy  Who  Became  Famous,  A,   121 

Boy     Who     Recommended     Himself, 

The,   27 
Boy    Who    Said    "I    Must,"    Marden, 

22 
Boy  Who  Wanted  to  Learn,  The,  185 
Boyhood    of    John    Greenleaf    Whit- 
tier.   The,    92 

Boyhood   of   Washington,    The,    146 

Boys  flying  kites,   48 

Bradford,    William.    202 

Bradstreet,   Anne.    20 

Brahms,    Johannes.    200 

Breton,    Jules   A.,    196 

Brewster.   Sir  David,    89 

Brine,    Mary   D.,    237 

Brooks,    Elbrldge   S.,    183 

Brooks,    Phillips.    89,    90 

Brown,   Abble    Farwell,    154 

Brown,   Isabel    Yeomans,    125 

Brown,   John,    202,    205 

Browne,   Charles   F.,    190 

Brownies,    The,    58 

Browning,   Elizabeth     Barrett,      154, 
156 

Browning.   Robert.    199 

Bryan,   William   J.,    162 

Bryant,   William   Cullen,   60,   61.   150, 
186 

Bryce,  James,    203 

Buchanan,   James,    188 

Bugle   Song.   The,    35 

Builders,    55 

Bull.   Ole  Borneman.    129 

Bulwer-Lytton.    Edward   G.    E.,    212 

Bunker    Hill   Oration,    Webster,    115, 
216 

Burbank,  Luther,   156,  157 

Burbank   Day,    156 

Burden   and    Labor.    Longfellow,    10 

Burke.   Edmund,    103 

Burnett,   Frances    Hodgson,    76 

Burns,    Robert,    12,    82,    120 

Burr,   William    N.,    232 

Burroughs.    John,    176 

Burton.   R..   128 

But  whatever  you  are,  be  true,  81 
Buttercups   and    Daisies,    210 

Butterworth,    Hezeklah.    62,    95 

By  adversity  are   wrought.    230 
Byron,    Geore*  Gordon    (Lord),    119 

Calhoun,  John  C,   162 
California's  Orange  Day,   164 


INDEX 


241 


Can  you  put   the  spider's  web,   183 

Canova,   Antonio,    59 

Captain  Natlian   Hale,    219 

Careful   Observer,    The,    72 

Carleton,    Will.    48 

Carlyle,    Thomas,    83,    131 

Carnegie,    Andrew,    76,    77 

Carroll,    Lewis,   113 

Carter,     11 

Caruso,    Enrico,    164 

Carving  a  Name,   Alger,   112 

Cawein,    Madison,    177 

Cary,   Alice,    59,   82,   161,    190 

Cary,   Phoebe,    12,     13,     18,    141,     190, 
213 

Casablanca,    44 

Champlaln,   Samuel    D.,    97 

Character,  26,   111,  123,  159,  162,   190, 
210 

Character  is   what   God,    123 

Character,    like   porcelain,    111 

Character  of  Washington,   146 

Charity,    14,    27 

Chaucer,    Geoffrey,    51 

Cheerfulness,   90,   108,   200 

Chesterfield,    Lord,    127 

Child's   Garden   of   Verses,   A,    68 

Children's   Poet,    The,    10 

Chinese  New  Year's  in  California,  A, 
103 

Chopin,   Frederic   Francois,    151 

Christmas,   95,   96 

Christmas  Carol,  A.   Dickens,   131 

Christmas  Carol,   A,    Lowell,   96 

Christmas  Chimes,    Blashfield,    97 

Christmas  Everywhere,    Brooks,    95 

Christmas  Like  It  Used   to  Be,   Wa- 
terman,   95 

Christmas  Songs,    95 

Churchill,   Winston,    66 

Civic   Duty,   62 

Clacker,   The,   188 

Clay,   Henry,  181,  184 

Clean   Hands,    157 

Cleanliness,    157,    211 

Cleanliness   of   body,    157 

Cleanliness   may  be  defined,    211 

Clemens,    Samuel    Langhorne,    80 

Cleveland,    Grover,    162 

Coffin,   Nathan,   189 

Coleridge,   Samuel,    48,    64,    142 

Colton,    72 

Columbia,    the    Gem    of    the    Ocean, 
216,    225 

Columbus,   Christopher,    40 
Columbus,   Lowell,      40 
Columbus,   Joaquin    Miller,    40 
Columbus   Day,    39 
Come,    Come,    Come,    126 
Come  with   Thy   Lute,    37 
Company,    128 
Congreve,    120 
Conscience,    10 
Contentment,    17,    92 
Cook,  Eliza,  24,  25 
Cook,  James,    54 


Coolidge,    Susan,    103 

Cooper,   George,    128 

Cooper,    J.    Fenimore,    19,    20 

Cooper's  Literary   Life,    19 

Copeland,    Fannie  F.,    156 

Copernicus,    Nikolaus,    143 

Cornelia's    Jewels,    17 

Corot,    Jean   Eaptiste   C,    146 

Correggio,    Antonio    Allegri,    154 

Coi-ces,   Hernando,    S2 

Cotton-Gln,    The,    86 

Country      Mouse      and      the      Town 

Mouse,    The,    17 
Courage,    19,    87,    130 
Courtesy,    129,    184 
Cover   Them    Over,    Carleton.    21 G 
Cow    His    Capital,    A,    Harden,    181 
Cowper,   William,   45,   78 
Craik,   Dinah   Maria  Mulock,    40,    233 
Crimean  War,    205,    206 
Crow  and  the  Pitcher,   The,   54 
Crow  Calculations,    188 
Cruel    Boy    Almost    Sure    to   Make    a 

Cruel   Man,   A,    104 
Cummins,   Maria  Susanna,   180 
Curie,   Pierre,   199 
Custer,    George    A.,    84 

Daisies    In    the   Meadow,    210 

Daisy  Nurses,    210 

Damon    and    Pythias,    32,    143 

Dana,    Julia   M.,    234 

Dandelion,    To    a,    Lowell,    210 

Dante,    206 

Dare   to  be   true,    70 

Darling,    Grace,    75,    76 

Darius  Green  and  His  Flying  Ma- 
chine, 185 

Darwin,  Chark-s  R.,   139 

David   Copperfleld,    Dickens,    131 

Davis,   Jefferson,    218 

Davis,   Richard    Harding,    185 

Davy,   Sir   Humphry,    92 

Dawn   of  Peace.    The,    209 

Dawning  Day,   A,   Carlyle,   131 

Day,    Richards,    41 

Day,   The    (St.   Valentine's),    140 

Day  and  Night,   185 

Day  of  Planting,   The,   186 

Days,   Emerson,   61,   212 

Dear  Common   Flower,    210 

Declaration  of  Independence,  The. 
Ill 

Deeds.    143,    208 

Deerslayer,    The,    Cooper,    20 

Defoe,   Daniel,   189 

Desert,    The.    Richards.    90.    201 

Deserted  Chicks.   The.   Burr,   232 

Deserted  Village,  The,  Goldsmith. 
189 

Destiny,    162 

Devotion.    142 

Devotion  to   Duty.   44 

Dewey.    George,    98 

Diamond  or  a  Coal.   A,   Rossettl,   100 

Dickens,    Charles,    130,    131 


242 


INDEX 


Dickens  in  Camp.  Bret  Harte    131 
Dickinson.    Anna   Elizabeth.    I^ 
Diff'ent    Kind    o'     Bundles,     Slosson, 

Dinner   of  Tongues,   A,    85 

Discontented    Pendulum.    The,    iSi 

Discontented    Pine    Tree,    The,    17 

Discovery   Day,    39 

Disraeli,   Benjamin,   94 

Do  not  cry   and   weep,    41 

Do  not  look   for   wrong,   161 

Do  something,    98 

Do  what   conscience  says.    JS 

Do  whatever   you   have,    231 

Do  you   wish    the   world.    93 

Do  Your   Best.    176 

Doctor  Goldsmith.    60 

Doing  Good.    211 

Donizetti.    Gaetano.   26 

Don't  Give   Up.    Gary     64.    141.    190 

"Don-t   Give  Up  the  Ship!      31 

Don't  slight  a  boy.  93  t^^.v,,^^ 

Don't    Talk    When    You've    Nothing 

to  Say.   46  .       iss 

Douglas.   Stephen   A..    l»» 
Dove   and   the   Woodpecker.   The.    la 
Doyle.    Sir   Arthur   Conan,    211 
Drum  and  the  Vase  of  Sweet  Herbs. 

The.    39 
Dryden,  John.   195 
Duel.    The,    Field.    11 
Dunbar.  Paul    Laurence,  ISZ 
Dupre,    Jules,    177 

Z{7:2^X\'^'\^^.   nO,^  220.   231 
Duty  and  Inclination.  19,   154 
Dvorak,  Antonln.   15 


Each  and  All,  Emerson,  212 

Easter,    166,    167 

Echo,    The.   69 

Economy,   168 

Eddy,   Mary  Baker  Glover,   8i 

Edison.    Thomas   A.,    133,    134 

Education,    116 

Eggleston,   Edward.   88 

Eiffel,  Alexander  Gustave,  91 

Election    Day,    62  ,  , 

Elfgy    of     a     Country     Churchyard. 

Elfwhltney  and  the  Cotton-Gin,  86 
Eliot.    George.    74 

Elves  and  the  Shoemaker  -The.  60 
Emerson.  Ralph  Waldo.  210.  21-.  --8 
Endurance  is  the  crownmg  quality, 

3d 
Ericcson.    John,    los 

Errors,    196 

Errors,   like  straws,    196 
Ethan  Allen,    110  »»„„„ 

Ethan   Allen   and   the   Green    Moun- 
tain Boys,   109 
Evans,   Mary  Ann,   74 
Evening   Prayer,   185 
Every  day  is  a  fresh  beginning^   103 
Every  gentle  word  you  say,   la- 


Every  Joy  that  heart  can  hold,   140 
Every  man   must   educate,    lib 
Everything  comes  to   him,   141 
Evil  Speaking,   48 
Ewing,    Jeannie   P..    213 
Excelsior.    Longfellow,    149 
Experience.    US,    168 
Extravagance,    229 

Fair-Mindedness.    161 
Fairy  in   the   Mirror.    166 

Fairy  Who    Judged    Her    Neighbors, 
the.    Ingelow,    85 

Faith,    182  ,„ 

Faithful   Little   Hollander,    The.    29 

Faithful   to   Trust,    104 

Faithfulness,    79 

Fame,    172  ,,„ 

Fame  is  what  you  have  taken,  17. 

Fantail   Pigeon.   The.    46 

Farmer  and   His   Sons.    The.    GO 

Farragut's   Resolution,    229 

Farrar.    117 

Festival  of  the  Trees,  The,  ISO 

Fidelity   in  Duty,   29 

Field,   Cyrus   W.,    80 

Field.   Eugene.    10.    11.    203 

Fillmore.    Millard,    108 

Finch     Francis   Miles,    222 

Findelkind.    De   la  Ramee.   30 

Flnley.    Martha,    190 

First-dav    Thoughts,    167 

First  Flag,  The,  146,   225 

••First  in  war,  first  in  peace,      123 

First   Printer,    The,   Baldwin,    126 

First    Thanksgiving,    The.    78 

Fiske.   John.    171.    172 

Fitch.   William  Clyde.   196 

Five  Peas  in  a  Pod,  Andersen,   175 

Flag  Day,    224,    223  „ 

Flag  Goes  By,  The,  Bennett,  63,   .24 

Flag  of     Our     Union,     Forever!     110. 

Flag  of  the  Free.   225 

Flag  of  the  Stars  I  Love,   225 

Flag  Salute,   234 

Flammarlon,    Camille.    149 

Flatterers    and   Slanderers.    81 

Flattery.    81.    179 

Flattery    like    a    painted    armor,    8i 

Florence  Nightingale.   205.   206 

Flow   Gently.   Sweet  Afton,   53 

Flower   Day,    157,    210 

Flowers  are  cousins,    156 

Flowers'    Drink,    The,    39 

Follow  Me.   Full   of  Glee.   84 

For  a'   That.    Burns.    12.   120 

For  praise  too  dearly  loved,   6b 

For  the  dead.   215 

For  the  Little    Boy    Who    Will    ^ot 

Say   Please.    129 
Forbearance.    196.    234 
Forbearance.    Emerson.    212 
Forest   Hymn.    A.   Bryant.    186 
Forget-Me-Not.    210 
Forgiveness,   67,    117,    21. 


INDEX 


243 


Forming  of  Habits,   The,   16 
Poster,    Stephen    C,    112 
Fountain,   The,    55,    83 
Franltlin.     Benjamin,     67,     114,     115, 

144,    179,    229 
Freedom,    174 
Fremont,     John    C,    118 
French,   Daniel   C,    187 
Freneau,    Philip,    146 
Friendship,    32,    79 
Friendship,    Emerson,    212 
Friends,    141 
Froebel,   Friedrich,   187 
From  a  little  spark,   206 
From   our   ancestors,    213 
Full  many  a  gem.   98 
Fulton,    Robert.    148 
Furl  the  banner,  216 

Galileo,   141 

Gall,  Franz  Joseph,   158 

Garden   Farm,    Richards,    210 

Garfield,   James  A.,    72,   73,    131 

Garland,    Hamlin.   20 

Garrick,    David,    144 

Gatling,    Richard   J.,    18 

Gay,   141 

General's  Easter  Box,   The,   167 

Generous    Forbearance,    196 

Gentleman,    A,    230 

Gentleness,    230 

George  Washington  and  H*8  Hatchet, 

22 
Gettysburg    Address,     The,    Lincoln, 

138,   216 
Gibson,  Charles  Dana,   19 
Gibson,   William   Hamilton,    35 
Gilder,   Richard  Watson,    131 
Gilpin,   196 

Girl  In  the  Brook,   The,   18 
Glad   Vacation,    237 
God  be   thanked,    51 
God  sent   his   singers,    197 
God's  Care,   182 
Goethe,  Johann  W.   von,   165 
Goldsmith,   Oliver,    66,    109,   189 
Gonard  and  the  Pine  Tree,   178 
Good   Advice,    68 
Good  and   Bad  Apples,   128 
Good  Bishop,   The,    149 
Good  boys  and   girls,   39 
Good   Deeds,    36,   88,    199 
Good  Manners,   39 

Good  manners  cannot  be  put  on,  192 
Good  morning,   sweet  April,   174 
Good  Name,    A,    142 
Good  Name,    The  Value   of  a,    101 
Goodness,    132,    206,    218 
Gounod.    Charles  Francois,    228 
Grace  Darling,   75,   76 
Grace  Darling,  Wordsworth,    76 
Graduation,    236 

Graduation's  Promise,   Martin,   236 
Grant,   Ulysses  S.,    22,    191,    192 
Graphophone,   The,    190 
Grateful   Foxee,    The,    122 


Great  captains,  with  their  guns,  134 
Great   Stone  Face,    The,    Hawthorne, 

210 
Great    works   are   performed,    21 
Greatness,    176,    206,    217 
Greeley,    Horace,    28 
Green,  John  R.,   89 
Green    Things    Growing.    Cralk,    233 
Greene.  Nathanael,  214 
Growing,    178 

Habit,    16,    113 

Habits,   15,    16 

Haeckel,   Ernst    H.,    142 

Hagenbeck,   Karl,    222 

Hague   Peace   Conference,   The,    208 

Hail!   Columbia,    14,    152 

Hale,   Edward    Everett,    176 

Hale,   Nathan,   219 

Hallowe'en,   57 

Hamilton,   Alexander,    111 

Hancock,   John,    111 

Hancock,   Winfleld  Scott,   141 

Handsome  is  as  handsome  does,   189 

"Handsomest  Man  I  Ever  Saw,  The," 

133 
Hang  me  to  the   yard-arm,   189 
Happiness,    37,    55,    68,    235 
Happy  Arbor   Day,    18  6 
Happy-Faced    Boy,    The,    171 
Happy  Farmer,   The,    108 
Happy  hearts  and   happy  faces,    68 
Harp   that  Once  thro'   Tara's   Halls, 

Moore,    214 
Harraden,   Beatrice,    119 
Harris,   Joel    Chandler,    87 
Harrison,   Benjamin,    160 
Harrison,   Mrs.    Burton,    190 
Harrison,   V.    B.,    152 
Harrison,  William   Henry,   132 
Hats  oiT!    Along  the  street.    63 
Have  more  than  thou  showest,   148 
Hawthorne,    Nathaniel,    210 
Hay,   John.    37 
Haydn.  Joseph.    172 
Hayes,   Rutherford   B..    34 
He  Aimed  High  and  Hit  the  Mark, 

Marden,    18 
"He  Belongs  to  the  Ages,"   140 
He  is  not  only  idle,   105 
He  liveth   long,    211 
He  prayeth   well,    142 
He  that  cannot   forgive  others,    67 
He  that  cannot   think,    77 
He  who  has  learned  to  obey,  43 
He  who  serves  his  country,  73 
He   who   steals   my   purse,    142 
Health,   161 

Health  Creed,  A,  Ryan,   35 
Health  Day,    35 

Hearts,   like   doors,    will   ope,    24 
Heaven   is   not   reached   at   a  single 

bound,    44 
Help  to  Set  the  World  Rejolcinff,  60. 

161 
Helpfulness,   98,   176,   227 


244 


INDEX 


Hemans,  Felicia  D.,   26,  78 

Henry,   Patrick,    214,    215 

Henty,    George    Alfred,    87 

Herbert,    George    (Lord),    67,    70 

Here's  to  that  Boy,   30 

Here's  to   the  boy,   95 

Here's  to   the  white  carnation,   203 

Hero  of  Valley   Forge,   A,    68 

Heroine  of  Fort   Henry,   The,   224 

Heroism,   31,   75,   187,   189 

Heroism    is   simple,    31 

Herriclc,   86 

Herschel,   Sir  William,   70 

Ho,    all    who   labor,    201 

Holland,  Josiah  G.,   40 

Holmes,  Oliver  Wendell,   35,   71,   187, 

203,    209 
Home,     Richards,     91 
Home   and  Parents,    88 
Home,    Sweet    Home.    51,    221 
Homer,    Winslow,    148 
Honest  Woodman,    The.   22,    51 
Honesty,    51,    77,    117,    158 
Honor,    33,    74,    160.    189,    213 
Honor  and   Shame,   74 
Hooker,    Joseph,    68 
Hoosier   Schoolboy.    The,    88 
Hoosier   Schoolmaster,    The,    88 
Hopkinson,    Joseph,    111 
Horace.     59 

Hosmer,    Harriet    G.,    38 
Houston.    Sam,    151,    152  ,    ,,0 

How  a  President  is  Inaugurated,  153 
How      Abraham      Lincoln      Taught 

Himself,   127 
How  Baby  Robin  Was  Saved,   64 
How   doth    the   little   busy   bee,    56 
How  happy   is   he  born,    69 
How   Happy  Is  the   Child,    44 
How  many  deeds,   183 
How    Patty    Gave    Thanks,    78 
How   shall   I   a   habit   break?    15 
How     the    Camel     Got    His    Hump, 

Kipling.    101 
How   the  Date  Was  Set,   153 
How      the      Leaves      Came      Down. 

Coolidge.    26 
How  the  Robin  Got  Its  Red  Breast, 

198 
How   the   Telephone   Was    Invented, 

152  ^^  ,  , 

How    Uncle    Sam    Observes    Christ- 
mas,    95 

Howe,    Elias,    33 

Howe,    Julia   Ward,    214 

Howe'er  it  be,  it  seems  to  me,   3b 

Howells.  William  Dean,  151 

Hughes,    Thomas.    46 

Hugo,    Victor,    149 

Humility,    45,    66,    71,    98 

Humphreys.    151 

Hundreds    of    Stars,    73 

Hurrah   for   the  Flag.    225 

Huxley,    Thomas    H.,    198 

Huygens,    Christian,    183 

Hydrophobia,    99 


I   dare   do   all,    30 

I  heard    the   bells,    96 

I  hold   it   truth,    34 

I  knew    him,    230 

I  know   blue  modest   violets,    213 

I  know   not   what   course,    214 

I  know  not  where   His   islands,    158 

I  live    for   those   who   love   me,    50 

I  look    in    the    brook,    10 

"I    love    you,    mother,"    88 

I  only   regret,    219 

I  resolve  to  keep   my  health,   94 

I  shall    pass   this   way,    196 

I  thank    Thee,    Lord,    20 

I   wish     that    friends,     218 

I  Will    Paint    or    Die,    Harden,    22 

I   will    speak    more    kindly,    27 

I   will   try   to   be   kind,    25 

I  would    rather   be    right,    181 

I  wrote    my    name,    112 

Ibid,    129,    217 

Idle   Little   Boy,   The,    144 

Idleness,    105.    230 

If  little    labor,    86 

If  those    who've    wronged    us,     41 

If  we  do  not  plant  knowledge,  127 

If  you   are   about   to   strive,    19 

If  you're  told  to  do  a  thing,   18 

If  you've    any    task,     42 

If  you've    tried,     141 

"I'll  try"  is  a  soldier,   191 

I'm    strange   contradictions,    228 

Image      and      the      Treasure,      The, 
Scudder.    101 

Immortal    Fountain,    The,    207 

In  all   the  affairs,    184 

In    Life's    Morning,    129 

In    Memoriam,    Tennyson,    102 

In  the  lexicon  of  youth,    109 

In    the    Springtime.    165 

Inauguration    Day,    153.    154 

Incident    in    Scott's    Life,    An,    23 

Incident   of   the   French   Camp,    An, 

199 
Independence,     111 
Industry,   56,    144,    109 
Industry   and   Application,    94 
Influence  of  a  Great  Name.  The.   146 
Influence  of  Good  Deeds  and  Words, 

Mackay.     123 
Inman,    Henry,    46  • 

Innes,  George,  196 
Irving,    Sir    Henry.    130 
Irving.    Washington.    39,    176 
It  is  easy   finding   reasons,    74 
It  is  hard   to    fail,    54 
It  is  not    always    the    coat,    160 
It  is  when    our    budding    hopes,    130 
It's  a   curious   house,    154 
It's  easy  enough   to   be  pleasant,   89 

Jackson,  A.    E..    84 

Jackson,  Andrew.    101 

Jackson,  Helen    Hunt,    18,    32,    44 

Jackson,  Thomas     J.      (Stonewall), 
118 


i 


INDEX 


245 


Jay,  John,   89 

January,    103 

Jarvis,    Anna,    202 

Jefferson,   Joseph,    145 

Jefferson,   Thomas,    174,    175 

Jenner,    Edward,    208 

Jesus    of    Nazareth,    96 

Joan  of  Arc,    106,    107 

John   Milton,    the    Blind    Poet,    87 

Johnson,    Andrew,     100 

Johnson,    Samuel,    20,    21 

Johnston,   Albert    Sidney,     128 

Johnston,    Joseph    Eccleston,    128 

Joliet,    Louis,    23 

Jolly  Workers,    The,    41 

Jordan,    David    Starr,    117 

Judge's    Bench,    The,    34 

June,    235 

June  Morning  Lesson,  A,  Dana,    234 

Just   a   little   every   day,    13 

Just   a   Little    Mother,    203 

Justice,    41,    71 

Keats,    John,    55 

Keep  a  smile  on  your   lips,   108 

Keep   to   the    Right,    207 

Keeping    at    It,    181 

Keeping  Your   Word,    115 

Keller,    Helen   A.,    87,    234,    235 

Kepler,    Johann,    99 

Key,    Francis    Scott,    110,    111 

Kind  Words,   39,   158,    176,    177 

Kindness,     35,     122,     171,     183,     196, 

218 
Kindness   to   Animals,    25 
Xindness    Returned,     36 
King  of   the   Golden   River,    Ruskln, 

131 
King  Stork,   The,   92 
King's    Birthday,    The,    182 
King's   Garden,    The,    24 
Kings   of   the   Past   and   Present,    12 
Kingsley,    Charles,    64,    223 
Kipling,    Rudyard,    100,    101 
Knights   and    the   Good   Child,    The, 

37 
Knowledge,    127,    178 
Knowledge    is    proud,    4  5 
Kosciuszko,    Tadensz,    139 

Labor  Day,   9,   10 

Labor    is    Worship,    Osgood,    9 

Lafayette,    Marquis    de,    14,    176 

Lafayette,   the  Boy  of  Versailles,   14 

Laighton,    Albert,    182 

Lamb,   Charles  and  Mary,   142 

Landing      of      the      Pilgrims,      The, 

Hemans,    78,    IIG 
Landseer.    Sir    Edwin,    157 
Lang,    Andrew,    172 
Larcom,    Lucy,    183,    184,    186,    198 
Lark  and   Her  Toung  Ones.   The.    34 
La  Salle,   Robert  Caveller  de,   74 
Last  of  the  Mohicans,   The,   Cooper, 

20 
Last  Rose  of  Summer,    The,    Moore, 

214 


Laugh,  and  the  world  laughs,   55 

Lawrence,    James,    31 

Laying      of      the      Telegraph-Cable, 

The,    79 
Learn   a  Little  Every   Day,   18 
Learn   something  beautiful,    235 
Lee,    Henry,    123 
Lee,  Richard  Henry,   117 
Lee,    Robert    E.,    116 
Legend  Beautiful,    The,    Longfellow, 

149 
Lessing,    Gotthold    E.,    119 
Lesson    in    Courage    and    Persever- 
ance, A,   39 
Lesson    in    Obedience,    A,    43 
Lesson   in    Perseverance.    A,    197 
Lesson  of  Mercy,  A,  Alice  Gary,  190 
Let  Fate  do   her   worst,    214 
Let  independence  be  our  boast.   111 
Let   Labor,    then   look   up,    12 
Let    little    hands   bring.    107 
Let's   Higher   Climb,    178 
Let   thy   mind's   sweetness,    26 
Let    us,    then,    be    up    and    doing,    20 
Lexington,     Holmes,     74 
Liberty     Enlightening     the     World, 

176 
Library   Day,    125 
Life    is    Real,    Life    is    Earnest,    34, 

80,     149 
Life  Is   Short,    212 
Life    is    too    short,    212 
Life   is   What   We   Make   It,    15 
Lift   up   your   burden,    234 
Lincoln,    Abraham.    25,    68,    74,    127, 

133,    139,    216,    218 
Lincoln     Day     Entertainments,     Sin- 

delar,    139 
Lincoln's    Conscientiousness.     38 
Lincoln's    Kindness    to    Birds,    25 
Lincoln's  Sentiment  and  Autograph, 

184 
Lind,    Jenny,    35 
Liszt,    Franz,    49 
Little  acts   of   kindness,    171 
Little  Bird    with    Eager    Wing,     188 
Little  Blue    Jay,    188 
Little  Boy   Blue,    Field.    11 
Little  builders,    build    away,    55 
Little  by    little,    207 
Little  deeds   of   kindness,    218 
Little  drop   of  water,    84 
Little  Drummer   Boy,    The,    44 
Little  Girl  with  the  Light,   The,   207 
Little  Girl's  Ideal  Party,  A,  Brown, 

125 
Little  Ida's   Flowers.    Andersen,    210 
Little  minds   are   tamed,    176 
Little  moments    make.    206 
Little  Rooster,    The,     26 
Little  Scotch    Granite.    71 
Little  Things,     206 
Little  Things,    Brewer,    84 
Lodge,   Henry    Cabot.    206 
London,    Jack.    Ill 
Long  Weary    Day,    The,    206 


246 


INDEK 


Longfellow,  Henry  W.,  22.  90,  96, 
103,    134,    149,    180,    197,    206 

Longfellow    and     the    Children,     149 

Longfellow's    Birthday,    149 

Longstreet,    James,    108 

Look   up   and   not    down,    176 

Looks,    Words    and    Deeds,    25 

Lord  My  Shepherd  Is,   The,   118,   143 

Lost,   somewhere,    148 

Louisa    Alcott    Reader,    79 

Love,    219 

Love    and    Truth,    119 

Love    Your   Enemies,    117 

Loveliest   of   lovely   things,    60 

Lowell,  James  Russell,  39.  40,  70, 
96,     113,    123,    134,    147,    210,    236 

Loyalty,    106,    109 

Loyalty  to   Our   Country,    62 

Luther,     Martin,    66 

Lytton,    109 

Mable,    Hamilton   "Wright,    95 

Macadam,    John    Loudon,    23 

Macaulay,    Thomas    B.,     51 

MacDonald.    George.    117 

Mackay,    Charles,    12,    81,    123 

Mac    Master,    John    Bach,    237 

Madison,    James,    161 

Magnet's  Choice,  The,   Howliston,   83 

Making   the   Best  of   It,    201 

Man   with   the   Hoe,    The,    Markhani, 

10 
Man   without   a   Country,    Hale,    176 
Mann,    Horace,    123,    148,    198 
Manners,    93,    230 
Many   strokes    though    with    a   little 

ax,    119 
March,    151 
March    is    merry,    164 
Marconi,    Guglielmo,    190 
Marion,   Francis.    150 
Marion   the   Swamp  Fox,    150 
Markham,    Edwin.    26,    188 
Marshall,    John,    26 
Martin,    Salena    Sheets,    236 
Mather.     Cotton,     139 
Matthews    (James)    Bradner,    145 
May,    195 
May- Day.     195 
May-Day    in    England,    195 
May-Day    Song,    195 
May  Queen,  The,   Tennyson,   195 
McClellan,    George    B..    83 
McCormick.    Cyrus    Hall.    141 
McKinley.    William.    123 
Mead.    Larkin    Goldsmith.    105 
Meade.    George    Gordon.    101 
Memorial    Day,    215.    216 
Memorial  of  Alice  and  Phoebe  Cary, 

Clemmene,    13 
Memory.     214 
Men    and    Things,    90 
Men    Who    Have    Risen.    Mable,    134 
Mercy,     205 

Meredith,    George.    139 
Meredith,    Ow^en,    51 


Merrily,    Merrily    Sing,    87 

Merrimack,    The,    158 

Merrltt,   Wesley,    227 

Merry    Children,    The,    201 

Merry    Springtime,     194 

Message  of  Peace,   The,   209 

Michael    Angelo,    156 

Miles    Standish,     33 

Millais,   Sir   John   Everett,   220 

Miller,    Emily    Huntington,     203 

Miller,    Mrs.    E.    R..    43.    49.    168 

Miller,    Joaquin.    66,    209 

Miller    of    the    Dee,    The,    90,    37 

Millet,     Jean    Francois,     33 

Mills,     Clarke,     81 

Milnes,     Richard    M.,     229 

Milton,    John,    87,    208 

Minstrel    Boy,    The,    Moore,    214 

Minute    Man    of    Concord,    187 

Miraculous      Pitcher,      The,      Hav.- 

thorne,     210 
Monitor,    The,    158 
Monroe,    Harriet,    96 
Monroe,    James,    193 
Monroe   Doctrine,   The,   192 
Montgomery,    James,    61,    203 
Montgomery,     Richard,     82 
Moody,     Dwight    Lyman.     129 
Moore.    Thomas.    214 
More,    Hannah,    228 
More  are  drowned  in  the  bowl.   29 
More    Precious    Than   Rubies,    177 
Morning    Song.    26.    66 
Morris,    George    O.,    3o 
Morris,    Robert,     117 
Morris,    William,    166 
Morse,    Samuel    F.    B.,    191 
Mortals  that  would   follow  me,   87 
Mother,     73 
Mother,   Abraham   Lincoln  and   His, 

218 
Mother  Love,   203 
Mother's    Day,     202.     203 
Mother's    Love,    203 
Mother's    Secret,    A,    Holmes,    203 
Mount    Vernon    Bells,    146 

Mountain     and     the     Squirrel,     The, 
Emerson.     212 

Mozart.    Wolfgang   A..    121,    122 

Mulock,    Miss,    40 

Munkacsy,     Mihaly,     38 

Murillo,    Bartolme    Esteban,    176 

Music,    120 

Music  Everywhere,     90 

Music    hath    charms,    120 

Music  in    All    Things.     47 

My  Book   is  a   House,    Brown,    154 

My  boy,    I'd   give    the    world,    83 

My  captain    does    not    answer,    139 

My  Country.    176 

My  Good-for-Nothing,    Miller.    203 

My  idea    is    this;    ever    onward,    149 

My  Mother,     203 

My  Old   Kentucky   Home,    113 

Mr  son,  observe  the  postage  stamp! 
79 


INDEX 


247 


Napoleon    Bonaparte,    44,    199 

Nathan    Hale,    222 

Nature,     233 

"Nature's    Helper,"    156 

Naughty   Little   Gold   Finger,    83 

Nearer    Home,    Phoebe   Gary,    13 

Nearer,    My   God,    to   Thee,    20G 

Neat    Family,    A.    167 

Neatness,     26,     167 

Neatness   and   its   reverse,    167 

Neighbor   Mine,    211 

Never   you   mind    the    crowd,    185 

Newman,    John    Henry,    145 

Newton,    Sir    Isaac,    97 

New  Year's  Day,    103 

New  Year's  Day   Customs,    103 

New  Year's  Eve,    102 

New  Year's  Message,    104 

Next   in    Importance    to    freedom,    72 

Nicholas   Nickelby,   Dickens,    131 

Niehaus,    Charles   H.,    119 

Nightingale,    Florence.     205,     206 

Nixie      Bunny      in      Manners-Land, 

Sindelar,    93 
No    flattery,    boy!    179 
No   fountain    is   so    small,    210 
No  one    is    useless,    84 
Nobility,    91,    222 
Nobility,   Alice   Gary,    113 
Noble    Conduct,    64 
Noble    Example,    A,    217 
Nobleness,     113 

Nobody's   Child,    Phoebe   Gary,    13 
Not   enjoyment   and  not  sorrow,    180 
Not    what    we    give,    70 
Now,    PhcEbe   Gary,    13 
Nutcrack    Night,    57 

O.    it's    I   that   am,    168 

O  make    Thou    us,    209 

O  Mother-My-Love,    Field,    203 

O   Painter    of   the    fruits,    193 

O  suns    and   skies,    32 

O  the    green    things,    233 

O       Washington!       thrice       glorious 

name,     146 
Obedience,    IS,     43.    222 
October's  Bright  Blue    Weather, 

Jackson.    44 
October's  Bright  Weather,     32 
Odin's    Search    for    Wisdom,    119 
Oft   have    I   walked,    182 
Oh,   let    us    live,    26 
Oh,   many    a    shaft.     22 
Oh,  W'ashington!    thou    hero.    145 
Oh,   what    a    tangled    web.    22 
Old  Curiosity    Shop.    Dickens.    131 
Old  Folks   at   Home.    113 
Old  Maxims.    Alice    Gary,    190 
Old  Oaken    Bucket.    The.    112 
Old   School-Bell.    The.    156 
Oliver    Twist.    Dickens.    131 
On  the    choice    of    friends.    141 
One    day    at    a    time,    44 
One  flag,    one    land,    224 
One  may  live  as  a  conqueror.    115 


One  Road,   The,   89 

Onward,    Christian    Soldiers,    113 

Open   the   door,    233 

Opening    Song,    42 

Opportunity,    41,    114 

Optic.    Oliver,    168 

Orange    Day,    164 

Order,    211 

Order  is  Heaven's   first  law,   211 

Orne,    Caroline   F.,    201 

Osgood,    Mrs.    F.    S.,    9,    21,    218 

Otway,     179 

Our  band   is    few,    but    true,    150 

Our  Greatest    Patriot,    146 

Our  Homestead,     Phoebe    Gary.    13 

Our  Presidents     in     Rhyme,     Ewing, 

213 
Over  my   shaded   doorway,    92 
Over  the  river,    78 

Paderewski.    Ignace   Jan,    64 

Page,    Thomas  Nelson,    189 

Paine,    Thomas,    145 

Palmer,    Alice    Freeman,    235 

Pansies,    210 

Paradox    of    Books,    The,    More,    228 

Parents,    88 

Parkman,     Francis.     20 

Partridge,   William   O.,   181 

Pasteur,    Louis,    99 

Patience,   13,  26,   44,  74,   159 

Patrick    Henry,    214,    215 

Patriotism,    14.   21,   73,    107,    110,    144. 

150,    214,    219 
Patti,    Adeline,    144 
Paul  Revere's  Ride,   Longfellow,   103 
Payne,    John    Howard,    221 
Peabody,    Miss   S.    G.,    185 
Peace    Day,    208,    210 
Peace   has    her    victories,    208 
Pearley,    100 
Peary,    Robert    E.,    199 
Pegging   Away    Did    It,    74 
Penn,    William,     41,     42 
People's   Song   of   Peace.    Miller.    209 
Perfect    Tribute.    The.    Andrews,    139 
Perrault,    Charles,    111 
Perseverance,    12,    21,    54,    79.    86.    94. 

109,    129,    133.    141,    180,    197.    221 
"Persevere,"    221 
Persistence,    119 
Peter    the    Great,    222 
Phillips,   David    Graham,    58 
Phillips,    Wendell.    79 
Pickwick    Papers,    Dickens,    131 
Pied    Piper,    The,    199 
Pierce.    Franklin,    75 
Pig  and  the  Hen,    The,   Alice   Gary, 

190 
Pilot,    The,    Cooper,    20 
Pinero,    Sir   Arthur   W.,    212 
Plppa  Passes,   201 
Pitt,    William.    70 
Plant    a    Tree.    Lucy    Larcom.    186 
Planting  of  the  Apple-Tree.   Bryant, 

186 


248 


INDEX 


Planting  Trees  for  Others,    187 

I'lease,    Aspinwall,    39 

I'leasure    of    Doing    Good,     The,    194 

Pleasures,    120,    193 

Pleasures    are    like    poppies.    120 

Pledge   of   Band   of   Mercy,    25 

Plov/    deep    while    sluggards    sleep, 

144 
Poe,    Edgar    Allen,     143 
Point    of   View,    The,    Richards,    26 
•'Politest    Clerk,    The,"    192 
Politeness,    24,    192 
Polk,    James    K.,    60 
Pompous   Young   Man,    The,    98 
Poor  Boy's  Chances,   Habberton,   134 
Pope,    Alexander,    74,    205,    211 
Porter,    David,    127,   228 
Porter,    Noah,    90 
"Practice   Makes   Perfect,"    181 
Prayer   at   Morning,    Stevenson,    68 
Prescott,    William    H.,    198 
President   Grant's   Way,    22 
President   Wilson's    Advice    to    Boys, 

99 
Presidents,    Our,    213 
Price   of    a    Lie,    The,    70 
Procrastination,     61 
Proctor,    Adelaide    A.,    56 
Progress,    149 
Proofs  of  Nobility,   91 
Proud  Flag  of  the  Free,  108 
Psalm     of     Life,     The,     Longfellow, 

149,    180 
Pulaski,    Count   Caslmlr,    154 
Punctuality,    229 
Purpose,    50,    81,    94 
Putnam,    Israel,    108 
Pyle,    Howard,    154 

Quarrel    Soon    Ended,    A,    67 
Questions,    183 

Radium,    199 

R-igrgylug,    Ernest    Thompson    Seton, 

19 
Rainy    Day,    The,    Longfellow.    90 
Ramee,    Louise    de    la,    120 
Randolph.   John,    218 
Raphael,    178 

Read,    Thomas   B.,    155,    159 
Reade.    Charles,    220 
Reading   makelh    a    full    man,    118 
Ready    Answer,    The,    li;9 
Real    Hero,    A,    189 
Red   Cress,    The.    51,    53,    97,    206 
Red    Cross    Flaj;,    The   Story   of   the, 

52 
Red,   White  and  Blue,   The.    225 
Reed,    Thomas    P.,    44 
Reid,    Samuel    Chester,     122 
Reid,    Whitelaw,    54 
Rembrandt.     37 
Remembrance.    120 
Remington,    Frederic,    34 
Republic.    The.    187 
Respect  for  the   Aged,   223 


Revere.    Paul.    103 

Reynolds,    Sir    Joshua,    148 

Rhodes,    Cecil.     167 

Richards,    Laura    E.,    12,    26.    41,    90, 

201,    206,    210 
Right  and  wrong,   207 
Ring    in    the    new    school-books,    206 
Ring  out,   wild  bells,   102 
Robert  Bruce  and   the  Spider,   54 
Robert  Burns  and  the  Farmer,   82 
Robert  Fulton,    148 
Robert  Louis   Stevenson   Songs,    68 
Robert  of    Lincoln,     188 
Robert  of  Sicily.     Longfellow,     149 
Robins,    Mrs.    R.    D.    C,    134 
Robinson    Crusoe,    189 
Rochambeau,    Count    de,    203 
Rock    Me    to    Sleep,    203 
Rock   of   Ages,    61,    158,    218 
Room    at    the    Top.    17 
Roosevelt,    Theodore.    54 
Ross.    Betsy,    225 
Rossetti,    Christina    G..    100 
Rousseau,   Jean  Jacques,    235 
Rubens,    Peter    Paul,    237 
Rubinstein,     Anton,     79 
Ruskin,    John,    131 
Ryan,    216 

.Saavedra,    Miguel    de    Cervantes,    37 
Sailor    Man,    The.    Richards,    12 
Salt    in    Your   Character,    159 
Salute,    The,     225 

Salute   to   the   Flag,   A,    Sumner,    107 
Sangster,    Margaret,    95.    178,    203 
Santa    Filomena,    Longfellow,     206 
Saxe.    John    Godfrey,    218 
Schiller,    Johann    C.   F.   von,    66 
Schofleld,    John    McA..    29 
School-house    Stands    by    the    Flag, 

The,    Butterworth.    224 
Schoolroom    Lesson,    A,    42 
Schreyer.    Adolph.    202 
Schubert,    Franz,    126 
Schumann,    Robert,    108 
Schurz,    Carl,     152 
Schuyler,     Philip.     74 
Scott.   Sir  Walter.   22,   23 
Scott.    Winfleld.    224 
Scudder.    Horace    E.,    43 
Secret   of   Success,   The.    20,   56 
Self-Control.    69   ^ 
Self-Praise.    45 
Self-Reliance.    34 
Self-Sacriflce.    189 
September   Days,    18 
September   days    are    here,    18 
Series   of   Donts,    A,    93 
Service,    70,     90 
Set    yourself   earnestly,    89 
Seward,    William    Henry,     207 
Shakespeare,    William,    71,    104,    119. 

130,    142,    148.    160.    188 
Shall    we    grow    weary,    182 
Shaw,    Henry    Wheeler.    187 
Sheridan,    PhlMp    H.,    15Q 


INDEX 


219 


Sheridan,   Richard  B.,   29.   30 

Sheridan's    Ride,    Read,    155 

Sherman,   Frank   Dempster,    164,    199 

Sherman,    William    T.,    131 

Ship   of  State,   The,    Longfellow,    149 

Sigourney,    Mrs.    Lydia  H.,    10 

Silently  Falling   Snow,    The,    113 

Sing,    children,    sing!    166 

Sing,    Smile,    Slumber,    149 

Singer,    The.    Whittier,    13 

Slanderer,    The,    48 

Sleepy    Song,    Field,    11 

Smart,    Alexander,    161 

Smiles,    Samuel,    90 

Smith,     Francis    Hopkinson,     49 

Smith,    Dr.    Samuel   F.,    47,    48 

Smith,    W.    S..    219 

Snapapple   Night,    57 

Snow,    The,    113 

Snow-Bound,    Whittier,     92 

So  are    great    deeds,    117 

So  here   hath   been   dawning,    131 

So  nigh  to   grandeur,    210 

Socrates,    81 

Soldier's  Reprieve,  The,  Robbins, 
134 

Solomon,    176 

Solon,   43 

Somebody  did   a  golden  deed,   90 

Somebody's    Mother,    202 

Song    of    Easter,    A,    166 

Song  of  Marion's    Men,    Bryant,    150 

Song    of    Nature,    The,    60 

Song   of   Peace,    The,    210 

Song  of   the    Shirt,    The,    Hood,    10 

Sowing,    193 

Sowing  and   Reaping,    158 

Sowing  the   Seed,    158 

Sparrow,     The,     188 

Spartan    Respect    for    the    Aged,    223 

Speak  Softly,   Gently,   122 

Spencer,     Herbert,     191 

Spofford,     Harriet,     180 

Spring,    164,    165 

Spring    and    Her    Helpers,    165 

Spy,    The,    Cooper,    20 

St.   Elizabeth  and   the   Sick  Child,  53 

St.   Patrick's    Day,    161 

St.   Patrick    and    the   Snakes,    162 

St.   Valentine's    Day,    140 

Standish,     Miles,     33 

Stanton,    Edwin    McMasters,    94 

Star-Spangled  Banner,  The,  31,  64, 
110,    111,    216 

Stars    and    Posies,    210 

Stars   and   Stripes,    The,    225 

Stars  of  the  Summer  Night,  Long- 
fellow,   149 

Steam,    116 

Stedman,    Edmund   C,    37 

Stephenson,   George,    221 

Stetson,    Charlotte    P.,    94 

Stevenson,  Robert  Louis,  33,  68,  69, 
168 

Stoddart,    Miss   A.    D.,    65 

Stolen    Corn,    The,    101 


Stoop   as   You    Go   Through,    66 
Story    of   a    Seed,    The.    177 
Story   of   Andrew   Carnegie,    The,    76 
Story   of   Edison,    The,    133 
Story  of  Eugene   Field,    The,    10 
Story  of  the    First    Corn,    The,    78 
Story  of  Lafayette,     The,     14 
Story  of  My    Life,    Helen    Keller,    87 
Story  of  Phoebe    Gary,    The,    12,    190 
Story  of  Samuel     Johnson,     The,     22 
Story  of  the   Red   Cross   Flag,    52 
Story  of  Truth,    The,    Bakewell,    101 
Strange  Story  of  Sam  Houston,   The, 

151 
Strauss,     Richard,     223 
Strongest    Minds,    133 
Success,     20,    56,    89.    130,    181 
Success    in    Life,    178 
Such   is   the   patriot's   boast,    109 
Sugar-Plum    Tree,    The,    Field,    11 
Summer    Time,     235 
Summer's   a   step   behind,    15 
Sumner,    Charles,    107 
Suppose,    Phoebe   Cary,    13,    64 
Swain,    37 

"Swamp    Fox,    The,"    150 
Sweet    and    Low,    35 
Sweet    Pea,    A,    210 
Swift,     Jonathan,     80 
Swinburne,    Algernon    Charles,    177 
Sympathy      of      Abraham      Lincoln, 

The,     68 

Taft,    William    Howard,    20 

Tainter,    Charles    Sumner,    190 

Tales   from   Shakespeare,    Lamb,    143 

Talking   in  Their   Sleep,    Thomas,    26 

Tamlane,    58 

Tap,  tap,   167 

Taylor,    Bayard,    111,    172 

Taylor,    Zachary,     76 

Teach  me.    Father,     26 

Teach  me    to    feel,    205 

Telegraph-Cable,  The  Laying  of  the, 

79 
Telephone,    The,    152 
Temperance,     29 

Tennyson,   Alfred,    34,    35,    102,    195 
Ten   Things   to    Remember,    130 
Texas    Independence,    152 
Thackeray,    William    M.,    96 
Thanksgiving,    78 
Thanksgiving  Day,    78 
Thanksgiving  Entertainments,     78 
Thanksgiving  Joys,     78 
Thaxter,     Celia,     166,     237 
The  best    and    highest    thing,    193 
The  boys   and    girls.    220 
The  boys  that  are  wanted,    88 
The  fisher    who    draws    in    his    net, 

129 
The  friendship    between    me,    32 
The   fruit,    when   the   blossom,    190 
The  genius   of   success,    131 
The   great   secret   of  success,    94 
The  height  of  my   ambition,    64 


250 


INDEX 


The  heights  by   great  men,   «2 

The  leaves    are    fading,    59 

The  moment    I    heard    of    America, 

The  plainest    face    has    beauty,    132 

The  proudest    now,    62 

The  riches    of    the    Commonwealth, 

91 
The  soul   asks  honor,   33 
The  sweetest   bird,    37 
The  tissues    of    life,    162 
The  ti-uly    generous,    59 
The  very  flowers  that  bend,   vl 
The  words  which  thou  hast  uttered, 

Then  Conquer   We    Must,    HO 
There  are  as  many  pleasant  things, 

12 
There  are    barrels.    211 
There  are  no  fragments  so  precious, 

61  -.c^ 

There  is   a   bird    I   know,    187 
There  Is    a    pretty    little    Hower,    1.0 
There  is  always    hope,    83 
There  is  beauty,     219 
There  is  only   one    failure.    117 
There  is   Room   Enough  at   the    lop. 

Harden,    18 
There's  Music    in    the    Air,    44 
There's  music    in    the    sighing,    47 
This  above    all,    188 
This  is  the    East,    185 
This  world   is  not  so  bad,   14 
Thoroughness,    65  „     .   ,     ,, 

Thorwaldsen.    Albert    Bertel,    li 
Thou  must   be   true,    51 
Though  your  duty  may  be  hara,   z» 
Thought   is   the   seed.    228 
Three    Rules   of    Happiness.    Palmer, 

235 
Time  Is  always   on    the    wing,    229 
Time  is  Short.    181 
'Tis  Always      Morning      Somewhere, 

149 

•Tis  the     time  of  the  year,  95 

To  a  Field    Mouse,    120 

To  all    the    world    I    give    my    hand, 
106 

To  be    polite,    129 

To  form    character.    162 

To  Our    Friends,    26 

Toil    Spells    Success,    191 

Topladv,    Augustus    M..    61 

Training      for      Greatness,      Marden, 
13**      139 

Traverse    the    Desert.    24  ..„,„„ 

Tribune   of   the   People,    A,    Marden. 

129 
Trine,    148,    182,    199 
True  Dignity,    220 

True  dignity    abides    with    him,    220 
True  Manhood.    160 
True  Nobility.    91  ,     iri 

True  wisdom  is  to  know.   1,   loi 
True   Worth,    17,    24.    65.    82 
True  worth    is   in    being.    82 


Trumbull,     John,     220 
Trust,   59,    100,    158 
Truth,   70,     188 
Truthfulness,     22 
Try.   Try,   Again,   54 
Trying,     191 

Turner,    Joseph   M.    W.,    188 
Turning   About,    Myers,    42 
Twain,    Mark,    80 
Twice   one    are   two,    234 
Two  Foolish    Birds,    The,    64 
Two  Gardeners,    The,     165 
Two  Men    of    Worth.    65 
Two  Roads.    The,    Richter.    50 
Two  Workers,    The,    Avery,    28 
Tyler,    John,    170 

Uncle    Sam's   Wedding.    115 

Under    the    leaves,    Lalghton,    18<- 

Uncle    Tom's    Cabin,    92 

Unkind    Words.     84 

Up    the    airy    mountain,    56 

Use    dispatch,    199 

Usefulness,    84 

Vacation,     237 

"Vacation   is   the   time,      237 

Vacation    Song,    238 

Vacation-Time,    237 

Vacation's    Coming.    238 

Vaccination,     99 

Valentine  Day,    140 

Value  of   a   Good    Name,    The,    101 

Value  of  Things,    The,    60,    100 

Van   Buren.   Martin,    84 

Van  Dvke,    Henry,    65,    66,    18» 

Van   Dyke.   John   Charles.    187 

Van  Dyke.   Sir    Anthony,    165 

Verdi,    Gulseppi.     38 

Vespucci,    Amerigo,    162 

Veteran    Army.    The,    14o 

Vicar    of   Wakefield,    Goldsmith,    189 

Village    Blacksmith,    The.    Longfel- 
low,   10 

Vinci,    Leonardo   da,    196 

Voice  of  April,    The,    177 

Voice  of  Nature,   The,   lOo 

Voltaire,    Francois    M.    A.    de,    li,    i* 

Voting   Day,    62 

Wagner,    Richard,     211 
Waif's  View  of  Wealth,  A,   59 
Walt    and    See.    74 
Wake    Up.    165 
Wallace.   Lewis,    180 
Walled    Garden,    The,    201 
Ward,    Elizabeth   Stuart    Phelpe,    122 
Ward.    Mrs.    Humphrey,    222 
Ward,    John   Quincy    Adams     .37 
Warner,    Charles    Dudley,    17,    is 
Warren,    Joseph,    222 
Washington,    Booker  T.,    185 
Washington,    George,    43,    145,    2/9 
Washington      Day      Entertainments, 
Sindelar,    146 


INDEX 


251 


Washington  Song,   14S 

Washington's    Birthday,    146 

Washington's   Rules  of  Conduct,   147 

Waste   Not,    Want    Not.    168 

Watch   Your  Words,    43 

Waterman,    Nixon,    108 

Watt,    James,    116 

Watts,     Isaac,     56 

Wayne,    Anthony,    103 

We  can  never  be  too   careful,   158 

We  give   our    heads.    226 

We  hold    these   truths.    174 

We  live   in    deeds,    208 

We  should   make   the   same   use,    125 

We  sleep,    taut   the   loom,    113 

We  want    no    kings.    91 

Webster,    Daniel,    115,    116,    216 

Webster,    Noah.    43 

"VV^elllngton,    Arthur   W.    (Duke    of), 

196 
Wellington   and  the  Toad,   122 
We're    Tenting    To-night.     216 
Wesley,    Rev.    John,    217,    228 
Westinghouse,     George,     35 
What  Broke      the      China      Pitcher, 

Howliston,     61 
What  Does    Little    Birdie    Say,     168 
Whate'er    you    think,     158 
"Whatever    is    Worth    Doing,"    130 
What  is  a    Flag    Worth?     225 
What  Kind   of   Boys,    106 
"What  means  that   star,"    96 
"What    Shall    I    Do?"    81 
What  Shall   the   New   Year   Be?    104 
What  the  Clock     Told     Polly.     183 
What  Will    You    Choose,     161 
Wheatfield,    The,    Richards,    91 
When   the  Swallows  Homeward  Fly, 

Abt,    95 
Wlien  we   plant  a   tree,    186 
When  you   find   one   good   and   true, 

79 
Whenever  a   task    is   set,    99 
Where  honor    ceaseth,    160 
Where  the  Shine  Came  From,   200 
Which  Loved    Best,    Allison,    88 
Whitaker.    Dr..    167 
White.    Peregrine,    73 
White  Carnation.    The.    203 
Whitman,   Walt,    140,    216 
WTiitney,    Eli.    86 
Whittler,    John    G..     36.     62.     78,     91, 

92.    107.    158.    162,    182,    209 
Whittier's    Birthday,    91 
Who  Began    It,    140 


Who  shall    be    queen    of    the    May? 

195 
Why  sigh    you   for   jewels?    17 
Wilcox,   Ella    Wheeler,     13,     55,     89, 

91,    166 
Wilkie,    Sir    David.    71 
Willard,    Frances    E..    27 
William  Penn  and  the  Indians.   41 
William    Tell.    74 
Willis.    Nathaniel    Parker,     117 
Wilson,   Augusta   Jane    (Evans),    201 
Wilson,   James    Grant,    193 
Wilson,   Woodrow.     99 
Winslow,     Edward,     45 
Wireless   Telegraphy,    190 
Wisdom,    17,   24,   65,   82,   US,   131.   148 
"U'lth  slow    and    reverent    tread,    215 
With  Washington's    name,    213 
Wolfe,    James,    104 
Wonderful    Weaver,    A,    127 
Wood,   Leonard.    38 
Woodman    Spare    That    Tree,    38 
Woodworth,     Samuel,     112 
Worcester,    Joseph    Emerson,    54 
Words,    152 

Wordsworth,   William,   133,   178 
Work,    12.    20,    22,    83,    131,    185,     201 
Work,   Alice    Cary.     190 
Work  and  Play,    22,    105 
Work  for    the   Night   is   Coming,    12, 

80.     134 
Work  for   some    good,    9 
Work  of    the    Week,    The,    132 
Work  while    you   work.    65 
Workingman's   Song.    Mackay,    12 
World   I   live   in.   The,    Helen   Keller, 

87 
World  is    What    We    Make    It,    The, 

91 
Wolton,    Sir   Henry,    69 
Worth.    17,    24,    65,    82,    131 
Would  you  think  it?   164 
Wounded    Curlew,    The,    198 
Wright,    Wilbur,    185 
Wronging    Others,    22 
Wynken,    Blynken    and    Nod,    Field, 

11 


Ye   who    love   the   Republic,    62,    224 

You    cannot    dream,    88 

You  hear    that    boy    laughing?    35 

You  Never   Miss   the   Water,    77,    169 

Youth,    83 

Yussouf,    Lowell,    123 


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Frequently  mentioned  in  Morning  Exercises  for  All  the  Year 

and  which  will  be  sent  postpaid  at  the  following  prices  by  the  pub- 
lishers of  this  book: 

Price 

Alice's  Adventures  in  Wonderland — Carroll Cloth  $0. 35 

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American  Inventions  and  Inventors — Mowry Cloth  .  65 

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Can  You  Believe  Me  Stones— Aspinwall Cloth  1.50 

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Child's  Garden  of  Verses,  A.— Stevenson Cloth  .40 

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)/?/{>. 


..^^. 


J//A 


^^:OfCAllfOfiU> 


